FINAL BILL REPORT

ESHB 1463

C 198 L 03

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Allowing advertising on bus shelters.

Sponsors: By House Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Representatives Sullivan, Ericksen, Simpson, Jarrett and Anderson).

House Committee on Transportation

Senate Committee on Highways & Transportation

Background:

Local transit agencies sometimes seek private partners for assistance in building and maintaining bus shelters. The private partners are allowed to post advertising in exchange for this financial assistance. This most often takes place within city limits, where municipalities have authority to allow advertising shelters within public rights of way. However, in unincorporated county areas, the law prohibits the placement of advertising along state highway right of way, which thus makes the private partner financing approach an unviable option for building and maintaining bus shelters in those areas.

Additionally, if a private entity wishes to utilize land held by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), the WSDOT is authorized to rent or lease the land or the air space above or below the land. Because renting or leasing WSDOT land would carry a cost for the transit agencies, it has further inhibited their ability to build new bus shelters at these locations.

Summary:

Local transit agencies are authorized to display commercial advertising on bus shelters located within a state highway right of way. The WSDOT may lease the state right of way to local transit agencies for this purpose, unless there are significant safety concerns regarding the placement of the advertising.

Advertisements placed on the bus shelters may not exceed 24 square feet on each side of the panel. Panels may not be placed on the roof of the shelter or on the forward side, facing oncoming traffic.

In leasing the state right of way for the placement of bus shelters displaying advertisements, the WDOT may charge the transit agency only for the commercial space.

Votes on Final Passage:

House 86  9

Senate 44  2

Effective: July 27, 2003