SENATE BILL REPORT

                           ESB 5423

               AS PASSED SENATE, MARCH 17, 1993

Brief Description:  Developing a public transportation policy plan.

SPONSORS: Senators Skratek and Prince; by request of Department of Transportation

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended. 

     Signed by Senators Vognild, Chairman; Loveland, Vice Chairman; Skratek, Vice Chairman; Barr, Drew, Haugen, Nelson, Oke, Prentice, Prince, M. Rasmussen, Sheldon, von Reichbauer, and Winsley.

Staff:  Gene Baxstrom (786‑7303)

Hearing Dates: February 4, 1993; March 3, 1993

BACKGROUND:

While transit service is essentially a local government responsibility in Washington, there is a significant state interest in assuring that viable transit service is available throughout the state.  Recent legislative enactments such as growth management and transportation demand management emphasize that state interest. 

At the federal level, the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) requires that transit projects funded with federal transit funds be included in a state transportation improvement program (TIP) and a public transportation management system be developed by the state in cooperation with regional and local public transportation agencies.

Currently, there is no state requirement for a state-level transit plan to guide local transit agencies.  During the last several years, the Washington State Department of Transportation has established an extensive state transportation policy planning effort.  This last year a subcommittee of this group was formed to address the state's goals for public transportation.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Transportation is directed to develop a state public transportation plan as part of an overall statewide transportation plan.  The public transportation plan must articulate the state interest in public transportation, identify goals and the agencies responsible for achieving each of them, recommend ways to better coordinate public transportation planning, recommend mechanisms to coordinate public transportation with other transportation modes and services, recommend funding allocation criteria for federal funds, and recommend the facilities and equipment management system required by federal law.

In developing the plan the department must involve interested parties including public and private providers of public transportation, nonmotorized interests, cities, counties and other state agencies.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  available

TESTIMONY FOR:

This bill improves the local transit planning process, resulting in a transit development plan, integrating transit with other community objectives and policies.  Changes in the state transit report should make the document more useful to public decisionmakers.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Hugh Mose, President, Washington State Transit Association (pro); Duane Berentson, Secretary, Washington State Department of Transportation (pro)