SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5491

As Passed Senate, March 11, 2003

Title: An act relating to signs on bus shelters.

Brief Description: Allowing advertising on bus shelters.

Sponsors: Senators Finkbeiner, Prentice, Jacobsen, Oke and Kohl-Welles.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Highways & Transportation: 2/19/03, 2/26/03 [DP].

Passed Senate: 3/11/03, 47-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HIGHWAYS & TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: Do pass.

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

Staff: Tami Neilson (786-7452)

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. Cities and towns have the authority to allow advertising on shelters within their jurisdiction; however, unincorporated areas are prohibited from placing advertisements along state right of way.

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is authorized to rent or lease land, improvements, or air space above or below any lands it does not need but that are held for highway purposes.

Summary of Bill: Local transit systems are authorized to include commercial advertising on bus shelters located on state highway rights of way. WSDOT may grant air space leases for this purpose, unless there are significant safety concerns. WSDOT may only charge the transit authority for the commercial space. Advertising is limited to back-to-back panels, and the panels are not to exceed 24 square feet per side. One back-to-back panel is allowed on the downstream side of the shelter. The uniform state standard for signs and traffic control devices on state highways must allow the transit authority bus shelters to display and maintain advertisements subject to applicable federal regulations, if any.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

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

Testimony For: As cities expand beyond city limits, highly urbanized areas along state highways result. This provides a no-cost way of constructing bus shelters as there is development.

Testimony Against: None.

Testified: Scott Morris, Pierce Transit (pro).