SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5457

As Reported By Senate Committee On:

Highways & Transportation, March 4, 2003

Title: An act relating to posting of hazards to motorcycles.

Brief Description: Posting hazards to motorcycles.

Sponsors: Senators Horn, Haugen, Oke, Johnson, Hargrove, B. Sheldon, Roach, Zarelli, Sheahan, Jacobsen, Stevens, Schmidt, Rossi, Eide, Kline, T. Sheldon, West, Shin and Rasmussen.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Highways & Transportation: 2/6/03, 3/4/03 [DPS].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HIGHWAYS & TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5457 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators Horn, Chair; Benton, Vice Chair; Swecker, Vice Chair; Esser, Finkbeiner, Haugen, Jacobsen; Kastama, Mulliken, Oke, Prentice and Spanel.

Staff: Dean Carlson (786-7305)

Background: Under current law, when construction, repair, or maintenance work is conducted on public highways, county roads, streets or bridges and the work interferes with the normal and established mode of travel, the location shall be properly posted by prominently displayed signs or flagmen or both. Signs used are to be consistent with the provisions found in the state of Washington "Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways" obtained from the Department of Transportation.

Summary of Substitute Bill: When construction, repair, or maintenance to highways, county roads, streets or bridges includes grooved pavement, abrupt lane edges, steel plates, or gravel or earth surfaces, signs must be posted warning motorcyclists of the hazard. The department must adopt by rule a uniform sign for this purpose including at least the language "Motorcycles use extreme caution."

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill: Removes the term "special hazards to motorcycles" and states that signs must be posted if the construction work includes grooved pavement, abrupt lane edges, steel plates, or gravel or earth surfaces.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on January 28, 2003.

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

Testimony For: We need a law advising contractors to post signs specific to motorcycles. Motorcycles face different hazards than cars. If a rider is informed with a pavement problem, they will be able to handle the situation.

Testimony Against: We design signs for the hazard and not specific vehicles.

Testified: Gerhard Gertschitz, WRRA (pro); Martin Fox, Citizen (pro); John Hunter, I.T.S. (pro); Karen Bolin, WRRA (pro); Toby Rickman, WSDOT (comments).