SENATE BILL REPORT

                            SB 5744

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, FEBRUARY 24, 1993

Brief Description:  Changing provisions concerning streets that are part of the state highway system.

SPONSORS: Senators Haugen, Loveland, Vognild, Winsley and M. Rasmussen

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5744 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass. 

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

Staff:  Jeff Doyle (786‑7322)

Hearing Dates: February 24, 1993

BACKGROUND:

Certain city streets are designated as part of the state highway system.  The jurisdiction and control of these streets is defined in statute, RCW 47.24.  The statute provides that in those cities or towns with a population of 15,000 or less, the Department of Transportation (DOT) shall be responsible for: (1) maintaining the stability of the slopes of cuts and fills and the embankments within the right of way to protect the roadway; and (2) operation, maintenance and control of traffic signals, signs and control devices for motor vehicles traffic and pedestrians on state highways.

If a city or town has a population greater than 15,000 after January, 1990, the state only retains these responsibilities until June 30, 1993, when the responsibilities for maintenance shift to the city or town.

A second way in which the responsibilities for maintenance could be modified is if the Legislature takes action to change the current law.  In 1991 a task force was created to study the maintenance responsibilities of cities and towns and to reexamine the population threshold.  The task force has recommended that the population threshold be raised to 20,000.

SUMMARY:

The population threshold at which cities and towns must assume additional responsibility for their streets that are part of the highway system is raised to 25,000.

Once a city or town is determined to have exceeded the threshold, the transfer of maintenance responsibilities shall take effect three years from the date of the determination.  During this time, cities and towns should plan for additional staffing, budgetary and equipment requirements.

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

The population threshold is changed to 22,500.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  none requested

TESTIMONY FOR:

The task force found that a city or town with a population between 20,000 and 25,000 would have the revenue to support the additional maintenance costs on the route.  Therefore, the population threshold of 22,500 is agreeable to both the DOT and local governments.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Senator Haugen, prime sponsor; Craig Olsen, Assn. WA Cities; Dennis Ingham, John Conrad, DOT