SENATE BILL REPORT

SHB 1278

BYHouse Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Representatives G. Fisher, Wood, Cantwell, Winsley, Rector, Walk, Phillips, Hine and Sprenkle; by request of Governor Gardner)

Expanding membership of the transportation improvement board.

House Committe on Transportation

Senate Committee on Transportation

Senate Hearing Date(s):March 23, 1989

Senate Staff:Gene Baxstrom (786-7303)

AS OF MARCH 22, 1989

BACKGROUND:

In 1988 the Legislature created the Transportation Improvement Board and the transportation improvement account.  The board replaced and assumed the duties of the Urban Arterial Board.  The Transportation Improvement Board also manages the transportation improvement account.  The board allocates monies in the account as follows:  (1) 87 percent for counties, cities over 5,000 in population, and transportation benefit districts for county, city, and multi-agency and suburban projects meeting certain statutory criteria; and (2) 13 percent for cities under 5,000 in population.

The 15-member board is composed of two county engineers or public works directors, the county road administration engineer, three elected county officials, three chief city engineers or public works directors, three elected city officials, and three representatives of the Department of Transportation.  These department representatives are the assistant secretary for highways, the assistant secretary for planning, research and public transportation, and the state aid engineer.  County and city appointments are made by the Secretary of Transportation, from a list of two nominees for each position submitted by the Washington Association of Counties and Association of Washington Cities respectively.

SUMMARY:

Three new members are added to the Transportation Improvement Board, as follows:  (1) A representative of a public transit system, who must be a general manager, executive director or transit director of a city-owned transit system, county transportation authority, metropolitan municipal corporation or public transportation benefit area; and, (2) two representatives of the private sector.

The membership may include city and county planning directors in lieu of city or county engineers.  A planning director is defined as a person responsible for city or county transportation and/or land use planning activities.

All appointments are made by the Governor.  Current members may serve out their terms.  The Governor shall solicit nominees for the transit and private sector positions from statewide organizations with broad-based multimodal transportation interests.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      none requested