BP BHEAD INT H [atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to eligibility for the rural arterial program; and amending RCW 36.79.010, 36.79.020, 36.79.040, 36.79.050, 36.79.060, and 36.79.140.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. RCW 36.79.010 and 1988 c 26 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

The definitions set forth in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

(1) "Rural arterial program" means improvement projects on those ((~~two systems of~~)) county roads in rural areas classified as ((~~major collectors and minor~~)) rural arterials and collectors in accordance with the federal functional classification system and the construction of replacement bridges funded by the federal bridge replacement program on access roads in rural areas.

(2) "Rural area" means every area of the state outside of areas designated as urban areas by the state transportation commission with the approval of the secretary of the United States department of transportation in accordance with federal law.

(3) "Board" means the county road administration board created by RCW 36.78.030.

Sec. 2. RCW 36.79.020 and 1988 c 26 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

There is created in the motor vehicle fund the rural arterial trust account. All moneys deposited in the motor vehicle fund to be credited to the rural arterial trust account shall be expended for (1) the construction and improvement of county ((~~major and minor collectors in rural areas~~)) rural arterials and collectors, (2) the construction of replacement bridges funded by the federal bridge replacement program on access roads in rural areas, and (3) ((~~for~~)) those expenses of the board associated with the administration of the rural arterial program.

Sec. 3. RCW 36.79.040 and 1983 1st ex.s. c 49 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

Funds available for expenditure by the board pursuant to RCW 36.79.020 shall be apportioned to the five regions for expenditure upon county arterials in rural areas in the following manner:

(1) One-third in the ratio which the land area of the rural areas of each region bears to the total land area of all rural areas of the state;

(2) Two-thirds in the ratio which the mileage of county ((~~major and minor~~)) arterials and collectors in rural areas of each region bears to the total mileage of county ((~~major and minor~~)) arterials and collectors in all rural areas of the state.

The board shall adjust the schedule for apportionment of such funds to the five regions in the manner provided in this section before the commencement of each fiscal biennium.

Sec. 4. RCW 36.79.050 and 1988 c 26 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

At the beginning of each fiscal biennium, the board shall establish apportionment percentages for the five regions defined in RCW 36.79.030 in the manner prescribed in RCW 36.79.040 for that biennium. The apportionment percentages shall be used once each calendar quarter by the board to apportion funds credited to the rural arterial trust account that are available for expenditure for rural ((~~major and minor~~)) arterial and collector projects and for construction of replacement bridges funded by the federal bridge replacement program on access roads in rural areas. The funds so apportioned shall remain apportioned until expended on construction projects in accordance with rules of the board. Within each region, funds shall be allocated by the board to counties for the construction of specific rural arterial and collector projects ((~~on major and minor collectors~~)) and construction of replacement bridges funded by the federal bridge replacement program on access roads in rural areas in accordance with the procedures set forth in this chapter.

Sec. 5. RCW 36.79.060 and 1988 c 26 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

The board shall:

(1) Adopt rules necessary to implement the provisions of this chapter relating to the allocation of funds in the rural arterial trust account to counties;

(2) Adopt reasonably uniform design standards for county ((~~major and minor~~)) rural arterials and collectors that meet the requirements for trucks transporting commodities;

(3) Report biennially on the first day of November of the even-numbered years to the legislative transportation committee and the house and senate transportation committees regarding the progress of counties in developing plans for their rural ((~~major and minor~~)) arterial and collector construction programs and the construction of replacement bridges funded by the federal bridge replacement program on access roads in rural areas and the allocation of rural arterial trust funds to the counties.

Sec. 6. RCW 36.79.140 and 1991 c 363 s 84 are each amended to read as follows:

At the time the board reviews the six-year program of each county each even-numbered year, it shall consider and shall approve for inclusion in its recommended budget, as required by RCW 36.79.130, the portion of the rural arterial construction program scheduled to be performed during the biennial period beginning the following July 1st. Subject to the appropriations actually approved by the legislature, the board shall as soon as feasible approve rural arterial trust account funds to be spent during the ensuing biennium for preliminary proposals in priority sequence as established pursuant to RCW 36.79.090. Only those counties that during the preceding twelve months have spent all revenues collected for road purposes only for such purposes, including traffic law enforcement, as are allowed to the state by Article II, section 40 of the state Constitution are eligible to receive funds from the rural arterial trust account: PROVIDED HOWEVER, That counties with a population of ((~~from five thousand to~~)) less than eight thousand are exempt from this eligibility restriction: AND PROVIDED FURTHER, That counties expending revenues collected for road purposes only on other governmental services after authorization from the voters of that county under RCW 84.55.050 are also exempt from this eligibility restriction. The board shall authorize rural arterial trust account funds for the construction project portion of a project previously authorized for a preliminary proposal in the sequence in which the preliminary proposal has been completed and the construction project is to be placed under contract. At such time the board may reserve rural arterial trust account funds for expenditure in future years as may be necessary for completion of preliminary proposals and construction projects to be commenced in the ensuing biennium.

The board may, within the constraints of available rural arterial trust funds, consider additional projects for authorization upon a clear and conclusive showing by the submitting county that the proposed project is of an emergent nature and that its need was unable to be anticipated at the time the six-year program of the county was developed. The proposed projects shall be evaluated on the basis of the priority rating factors specified in RCW 36.79.080.