SENATE BILL REPORT

ESHB 2012

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Background: The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) defines practical design as an approach for project decisions that focuses on the need for the project and looks for cost-effective solutions. It engages local stakeholders at the earliest stages of defining scope to ensure their input is included at the beginning stage of project design. Practical design implementation is part of WSDOT's current agency-wide reform plan. Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6001 directs WSDOT to implement a practical design strategy for transportation design standards and report by June 30, 2015, on where practical design has been applied or is intended to be applied and the cost savings resulting from the use of practical design.

Summary of Bill: WSDOT must use principles of practical design to develop projects that are cost efficient, meet community needs, and do not have a negative impact to safety or operations. WSDOT is given flexibility to deviate from the standard design manual if applying the standards would result in unnecessary additional costs. The Department of transportation is encouraged to continue to apply practical design in project delivery and the Legislature expects practical design to result in reduce project scopes. The Department is required to have any significant changes to project title or scope as a result of practical design be approved by the Legislature. DOT must evaluate projects at the end of the project design phase and determine practical design savings and report the savings as part of its annual budget submittal. Savings attributable to practical design must be made available through the transportation future funding program to new connecting Washington projects and for preservation investments beginning in fiscal year 2024. Future savings can also be used to accelerate the schedule of existing projects defined as Connecting Washington projects. A new subaccount is created in the Connecting Washington Account called the Transportation Future Funding Account. Funds in this account may not be expended on the SR 99 Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Project. An emergency clause makes the bill take effect immediately.