FINAL BILL REPORT
SB 5005
C 213 L 99
Synopsis as Enacted
Brief Description: Allowing signing of safer routes to tourist‑oriented businesses.
Sponsors: Senators Loveland, Haugen, Winsley and Rasmussen.
Senate Committee on Transportation
House Committee on Transportation
Background: State law authorizes the Department of Transportation to erect and maintain signs that provide information to the traveling public. The panels include motorist service information on gas, food, recreation, or lodging that is off a primary or scenic highway.
For signing purposes, the maximum distance an eligible service may be located on either side of an interchange or intersection is determined by the type of highway. Fully-controlled, limited access highways (such as the interstate system) require gas, food, or lodging services to be within three miles and camping facilities to be within five miles. Partial access control or no access control highways require the same services to be within five miles. However, if there are no eligible services within these specified distances, the distance can be increased up to 15 miles.
Since the enactment of this legislation, existing eligible services have identified alternate routes that are safer or more convenient but exceed the 15-mile signing limit.
Summary: State law regulating the maximum distance eligible roadway services may be signed from off the highway is modified. The Department of Transportation is allowed to erect and maintain signs on an alternate route that exceeds the 15-mile limit if it is safer and still provides reasonable and convenient travel to an eligible service. The Department of Transportation is allowed to erect and maintain signs on a route up to a maximum of 20 miles if it is an eligible service and qualifies as a distressed area.
Votes on Final Passage:
Senate 44 0
House 92 0
House 89 0 (House reconsidered, amended)
Senate 45 0 (Senate concurred)
Effective: July 25, 1999