H-2242.1  _______________________________________________

                    SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1568

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By House Committee on Transportation Policy & Budget (originally sponsored by Representatives Zellinsky and Fisher; by request of Washington State Patrol)

Read first time 02/26/97.

Restricting the distance a vehicle may travel in a two-way left-turn lane.

    AN ACT Relating to restricting the distance a vehicle may travel in a two-way left turn lane; and reenacting and amending RCW 46.61.290.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 46.61.290 and 1984 c 12 s 1 and 1984 c 7 s 68 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

    The driver of a vehicle intending to turn shall do so as follows:

    (1) Right turns.  Both the approach for a right turn and a right turn shall be made as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway.

    (2) Left turns.  The driver of a vehicle intending to turn left shall approach the turn in the extreme left-hand lane lawfully available to traffic moving in the direction of travel of the vehicle.  Whenever practicable the left turn shall be made to the left of the center of the intersection and so as to leave the intersection or other location in the extreme left-hand lane lawfully available to traffic moving in the same direction as the vehicle on the roadway being entered.

    (3) Two-way left turn lanes.

    (a) The department of transportation and local authorities in their respective jurisdictions may designate a two-way left turn lane on a roadway.  A two-way left turn lane is near the center of the roadway set aside for use by vehicles making left turns in either direction from or into the roadway.

    (b) Two-way left turn lanes shall be designated by distinctive uniform roadway markings.  The department of transportation shall determine and prescribe standards and specifications governing type, length, width, and positioning of the distinctive permanent markings.  The standards and specifications developed shall be filed with the code reviser in accordance with the procedures set forth in the administrative procedure act, chapter 34.05 RCW.  On and after July 1, 1971, permanent markings designating a two-way left turn lane shall conform to such standards and specifications.

    (c) Upon a roadway where a center lane has been provided by distinctive pavement markings for the use of vehicles turning left from either direction, no vehicles may turn left from any other lane.  A vehicle shall not be driven in this center lane for the purpose of overtaking or passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction.  No vehicle may travel further than three hundred feet within the lane.  A signal, either electric or manual, for indicating a left turn movement, shall be made at least one hundred feet before the actual left turn movement is made.

    (4) The department of transportation and local authorities in their respective jurisdictions may cause official traffic-control devices to be placed and thereby require and direct that a different course from that specified in this section be traveled by turning vehicles, and when the devices are so placed no driver of a vehicle may turn a vehicle other than as directed and required by the devices.

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