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.
