SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5225

 

As Reported By Senate Committee On:

Transportation, February 7, 2001

 

Title:  An act relating to use of funds in the commute trip reduction program.

 

Brief Description:  Improving the effectiveness of the commute trip reduction program.

 

Sponsors:  Senators Gardner, Horn, Haugen, Eide and McAuliffe; by request of Department of Transportation.

 

Brief History: 

Committee Activity:  Transportation:  2/5/01, 2/7/01 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

 

Majority Report:  Do pass.

Signed by Senators Haugen, Chair; Gardner, Vice Chair; Eide, Finkbeiner, Horn, Kastama, McAuliffe, Oke, Patterson, Prentice, Shin and Swecker.

 

Staff:  Jennifer Ziegler (786-7316)

 

Background:  Major employers in the state's nine largest counties are currently required to implement commute trip reduction (CTR) programs to reduce the number of their employees traveling by single-occupant vehicles to their work sites.

 

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) administers the CTR program and contracts for services from the nine counties involved in the program.  The CTR statutes direct the WSDOT to contract with the counties and, in turn, the counties to contract with cities and towns within their jurisdiction.

 

The CTR statutes also require funding to be distributed proportionally to the number of major work sites in a county.

 

Summary of Bill:  The requirement for WSDOT to contract with counties is eliminated.

 

The requirement that funding be distributed proportionally to the number of major work sites in a county is also eliminated.

 

Appropriation:  None.

 

Fiscal Note:  Available.

 

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

 

Testimony For:  This legislation simplifies administration and contracting requirements for distributing commute trip reduction funds. The legislation also enables the department to distribute funding based on performance.

 

Testimony Against:  None.

 

Testified:  Brian Lagerberg, Department of Transportation (pro).