HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 ESB 5801

             As Reported By House Committee on:

                       Transportation

Title:  An act relating to state highway routes.

Brief Description:  Revising state highway routes.

Sponsor(s):  Senators Patterson and Vognild.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Transportation, April 2, 1991, DPA.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: Do pass as amended.  Signed by 20 members:  Representatives R. Fisher, Chair; Betrozoff, Ranking Minority Member; Chandler, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Brough; Cantwell; Cooper; Day; Haugen; Horn; R. Johnson; Jones; Kremen; Mitchell; Nelson; Orr; Prince; Schmidt; Wilson; Wood; and Zellinsky.

Minority Report: Do not pass.  Signed by 4 members:  Representatives G. Fisher; Forner; P. Johnson; and Prentice.

Staff:  Louise Bray Sandison (786-7322).

Background:  The Road Jurisdiction Study, Phase 1 Report, dated September 1990, makes recommendations for additions, deletions and revisions to the state highway system.  These recommendations are the result of an evaluation process that utilized criteria passed by the Legislature last year.  In addition, the report recommends several funding mechanisms to alleviate the financial impact on certain cities and counties experiencing a net gain in cost responsibility.

Summary of Amended Bill:  Additions, deletions and revisions to the state highway system are made in conformance with a portion of the recommendations of the Road Jurisdiction Report dated September 1990.

The following bridges that are on roads transferred to local jurisdictions remain the responsibility of the state:  S. Fork Skykomish River, Manette Bridge, Ebey Slough Bridge, Grays River (Rosburg) and Elochoman.

Two funding assistance programs are created.  The Transfer Relief Program, funded out of an "off the top" allocation of fuel tax, provides one-time funding assistance for cities and counties with a net gain in cost responsibilities due to the transfers under this act.  The program is administered by the Local Programs Division of the Department of Transportation.  The program begins April 1, 1992 and sunsets March 31, 1996.  An appropriation of $2.5 million is made to local programs for the 1991-93 biennium to implement the program.  Over the four-year period approximately $6 million is generated with approximately $2.5 million allocated to cities and $3.5 million to counties.  The Local Programs Division is to cooperate with the Association of Washington Cities and the Washington State Association of Counties in promulgation of rules.

The second funding assistance program is the City Hardship Assistance Program.  Cities of 15,000 population or less that experience a net gain in cost responsibility may apply for funding for rehabilitation projects on streets acquired under this act.  Cities of 20,000 population or less that experience extraordinary costs due to transfers other than those contained in this act may also apply for assistance.  It is a permanent program that is funded out of a portion of the cities' normal distribution of fuel tax beginning April 1, 1992.  The program is administered by the Transportation Improvement Board (TIB).  TIB is to develop rules based on the Road Jurisdiction Committee findings and must report to the Legislative Transportation Committee (LTC) by August 1, 1991.  An appropriation of $750,000 is made to TIB for the 1991-93 biennium for this program.  The allocation generates $750,000 the first biennium and approximately $1.2 million per biennium thereafter.

Future proposed jurisdictional transfers will be reviewed by the TIB.  Beginning September 1, 1991 state and local jurisdictions may petition the board for review.  TIB evaluates the proposal according to the criteria set out in RCW 47.17.001 and forwards its recommendations to the LTC annually, commencing November 15, 1991.  TIB is required to submit its proposed rules to the LTC for review by August 1, 1991.

Unexpended monies contributed by the counties and cities from their normal distribution of fuel tax for mutually beneficial studies revert back to the counties and cities at the end of each biennium.

A task force is created to examine the population threshold at which cities and towns must assume additional responsibility for their streets that are part of the state highway system.

Amended Bill Compared to Engrossed Bill:  State Route (SR) 292 remains a state route and SR 901 is relocated from the west side of Lake Sammamish to the east side of the lake. 

Unexpended monies contributed by the counties and cities from their normal distribution of fuel tax for mutually beneficial studies revert back to the counties and cities at the end of each biennium.

Cities with a population of 20,000 or less may participate in the City Hardship Assistance Program for funding of extraordinary costs associated with transfers of roadways not contained in this act.

A task force is created to examine the population threshold at which cities and towns must assume additional responsibility for their streets that are part of the state highway system.

Several technical changes are made.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Appropriation:  Yes.

Effective Date of Amended Bill:  Sections 59 and 60 contain an emergency clause and shall take effect June 1, 1991.  The remainder of the act shall take effect April 1, 1992.

Testimony For:  The Road Jurisdiction Committee Study recommendations should be adopted.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Doug Jonas, Matrix Management Group; Gary Lowe, Washington Association of Counties; and Stan Finkelstein, Association of Washington Cities.