Brief Description: Designating highways of statewide significance.

Sponsors: Representatives Cooper, Pearson, Lovick and Kristiansen.

Hearing Date: 2/3/03

Staff: Gene Baxstrom (786-7303).

Background:

In 1998 the Legislature directed the Transportation Commission to designate highways of statewide significance. At a minimum, this designation was to include interstate highways and other statewide principal arterials needed to connect major communities across the state and support the state's economy.

The Commission refined the criteria and designated certain highways as highways of statewide significance. For a highway to be designated as a highway of statewide significance the following criteria were set: the highway must be a state highway, a principal arterial that is part of the national highway system, and a rural route serving statewide travel or an urban route with certain connectivity or freight volumes.

In 2002 the regional transportation investment district legislation empowered the Legislature to also designate state highways of statewide significance and made that designation of a portion of State Route 509. The legislation also required that ninety percent of district revenues be expended along highways of statewide significance corridors.

Designation of a highway route as an highway of statewide significance means the improvements along the route are higher priority. It also means that improvements are essential public facilities under the Growth Management Act (GMA) plans, GMA concurrency requirements do not apply, and the state is responsible for establishing level of service standards.

Summary of Bill:

The State Route 9 corridor from State Route 522 near Woodinville to the Canadian border is designated as a highway of statewide significance.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not Requested.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.