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SUBSTITUTE
SENATE BILL 6306
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Passed
Legislature - 1992 Regular Session
State of Washington 52nd
Legislature 1992 Regular Session
Read first time 02/06/92.Funding the Puget Island ferry.
AN ACT
Relating to the Puget Island ferry; and amending RCW 47.56.720.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE
OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec.
1. RCW
47.56.720 and 1987 c 368 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)
The legislature finds that the ferry operated by Wahkiakum county between Puget
Island and Westport on the Columbia river provides service which is primarily
local in nature with secondary benefits to the state highway system in
providing a bypass for state route 4 and providing the only crossing of the
Columbia river between the Astoria-Megler bridge and the Longview bridge.
(2)
The department is hereby authorized to enter into a continuing agreement with
Wahkiakum county pursuant to which the department shall pay to Wahkiakum county
from moneys appropriated for such purpose ((the sum of one thousand dollars
per month)) monthly amounts not to exceed eighty percent of the
operating and maintenance deficit with a maximum not to exceed the amount
appropriated for that biennium to be used in the operation and maintenance
of the Puget Island ferry, commencing July 1, ((1971)) 1992.
((Subject
to the provisions of subsection (4) of this section, the department is
authorized to include in the continuing agreement a provision to reimburse
Wahkiakum county for eighty percent of the deficit incurred during each
previous fiscal year in the operation and maintenance of the ferry, commencing
with the fiscal year ending June 30, 1987. The state's eighty percent share of
the annual operating and maintenance deficit shall include the one thousand
dollars per month authorized in this subsection.))
(3)
The annual deficit, if any, incurred in the operation and maintenance of the
ferry shall be determined by Wahkiakum county subject to the approval of the
department. If eighty percent of the deficit for the preceding fiscal year
exceeds the total amount paid to the county for that year, the additional
amount shall be paid to the county by the department upon the receipt of a
properly executed voucher. The total of all payments to the county in any
biennium shall not exceed the amount appropriated for that biennium. The fares
established by the county shall be comparable to those used for similar runs on
the state ferry system.
(4)
Whenever, subsequent to June 9, 1977, state route 4 between Cathlamet and
Longview is closed to traffic pursuant to chapter 47.48 RCW due to actual or
potential slide conditions and there is no suitable, reasonably short alternate
state route provided, Wahkiakum county is authorized to operate the Puget
Island ferry on a toll-free basis during the entire period of such closure.
The state's share of the ferry operations and maintenance deficit during such
period shall be one hundred percent.
(5)
Whenever state route 4 between Cathlamet and Longview is closed to traffic, as
mentioned in subsection (4) hereof, the state of Washington shall provide
temporary rest room facilities at the Washington ferry landing terminal.
