SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6302

BYSenators Bender, Thorsness, Murray and Talmadge

Requiring edgestriping along certain roadways.

Senate Committee on Transportation

Senate Hearing Date(s):January 18, 1990

Majority Report:  Do pass.

      Signed by Senators Patterson, Chairman; Thorsness, Vice Chairman; von Reichbauer, Vice Chairman; Bender, DeJarnatt, McMullen, Murray, Patrick.

Senate Staff:Cathy Mayo (786-7304)

                  January 22, 1990

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, JANUARY 18, 1990

BACKGROUND:

The painted stripe on the edge of a roadway provides a clear boundary between the traffic lane and shoulder of the roadway.

Traffic engineering studies have shown the value of edge stripes in keeping cars from veering off the road, especially in inclement weather.

Safety groups look upon edgestriping as a measure that increases the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists in areas without sidewalks.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Transportation is directed to adopt uniform standards by 1991 relating to edgestriping for principal and minor arterial roadways and collector streets that are inside urbanized areas.

The arterial and collector streets in urbanized areas shall be edgestriped by July 1, 1993.

An urbanized area is designated as such by the United States Bureau of Census and has a population of more than 50,000.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      available

Senate Committee - Testified: FOR:  Barry Fairfax, Chief Traffic Engineer, City of Seattle; Dr. Abraham Bergman, Dir. of Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center; John Moffatt, Seattle Police Dept., Traffic Section; Maureen Jones, Seattle Council PTA; Jim Lazar, Bicycle Federation of Washington.  AGAINST:  John Boesel, City of Spokane; Jerry Hendricks, City of Tumwater