BILL REQ. #: S-1946.3
| State of Washington | 58th Legislature | 2003 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 03/07/03.
AN ACT Relating to high-occupancy vehicle lanes; amending RCW 46.61.165, 47.52.025, and 81.100.020; adding a new section to chapter 46.61 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 47.52 RCW; and adding new sections to chapter 43.131 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1 RCW 46.61.165 and 1999 c 206 s 1 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) The state department of transportation and the local
authorities are authorized to reserve all or any portion of any highway
under their respective jurisdictions, including any designated lane or
ramp, for the exclusive or preferential use of the following vehicles
when the limitation will increase the efficient use of the highway
facility or will aid in the conservation of energy resources: (a)
Public transportation vehicles ((or)); (b) private motor vehicles
carrying no fewer than a specified number of passengers ((when such
limitation will increase the efficient utilization of the highway or
will aid in the conservation of energy resources)); or (c) motorcycles.
(2) Regulations authorizing such exclusive or preferential use of
a highway facility may be declared to be effective at all times or at
specified times of day or on specified days. Violation of a
restriction of highway usage prescribed by the appropriate authority
under this section is a traffic infraction.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 A new section is added to chapter 46.61 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) Under RCW 46.61.165 and 47.52.025, exclusive use of freeway
high-occupancy vehicle lanes must be restricted solely to the hours of
6:00 a.m. through 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. through 6:00 p.m. Monday
through Friday, excluding state holidays, on the following facilities:
(a) Interstate 405;
(b) State route number 167;
(c) Interstate 90 east of Interstate 405;
(d) State route number 520 east of Interstate 405.
(2) The following facilities are exempt from this section:
(a) High-occupancy direct access ramps;
(b) High-occupancy vehicle freeway queue bypasses; and
(c) High-occupancy vehicle ramp meter bypasses.
Sec. 3 RCW 47.52.025 and 1974 ex.s. c 133 s 1 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) Highway authorities of the state, counties, and incorporated
cities and towns, in addition to the specific powers granted in this
chapter, shall also have, and may exercise, relative to limited access
facilities, any and all additional authority, now or hereafter vested
in them relative to highways or streets within their respective
jurisdictions, and may regulate, restrict, or prohibit the use of such
limited access facilities by various classes of vehicles or traffic.
Such highway authorities may reserve any limited access facility or
portions thereof, including designated lanes or ramps for the exclusive
or preferential use of the following vehicles when the limitation will
increase the efficient use of the highway facility or will aid in the
conservation of energy resources: (a) Public transportation
vehicles((, privately owned buses, or)); (b) private motor vehicles
carrying not less than a specified number of passengers ((when such
limitation will increase the efficient utilization of the highway
facility or will aid in the conservation of energy resources)); or (c)
motorcycles.
(2) Regulations authorizing such exclusive or preferential use of
a highway facility may be declared to be effective at all time or at
specified times of day or on specified days.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 A new section is added to chapter 47.52 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) Under RCW 46.61.165 and 47.52.025, exclusive use of freeway
high-occupancy vehicle lanes must be restricted solely to the hours of
6:00 a.m. through 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. through 6:00 p.m. Monday
through Friday, excluding state holidays, on the following facilities:
(a) Interstate 405;
(b) State route number 167;
(c) Interstate 90 east of Interstate 405;
(d) State route number 520 east of Interstate 405.
(2) The following facilities are exempt from this section:
(a) High-occupancy direct access ramps;
(b) High-occupancy vehicle freeway queue bypasses; and
(c) High-occupancy vehicle ramp meter bypasses.
Sec. 5 RCW 81.100.020 and 1990 c 43 s 13 are each amended to read
as follows:
Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in
this section apply throughout this chapter.
(1) "Transit agency" means a city that operates a transit system,
a public transportation benefit area, a county transportation
authority, or a metropolitan municipal corporation.
(2) The "high-occupancy vehicle system" includes high-occupancy
vehicle lanes, related high-occupancy vehicle facilities, and high-
occupancy vehicle programs.
(3) "High-occupancy vehicle lanes" mean lanes reserved for public
transportation vehicles only or public transportation vehicles and
private vehicles carrying no fewer than a specified number of
passengers under RCW 46.61.165 and 47.52.025.
(4) "Related facilities" means park and ride lots, park and pool
lots, ramps, bypasses, turnouts, signal preemption, and other
improvements designed to maximize use of the high-occupancy vehicle
system.
(5) "High-occupancy vehicle program" means advertising the high-
occupancy vehicle system, promoting carpool, vanpool, and transit use,
providing vanpool vehicles, and enforcement of driving restrictions
governing high-occupancy vehicle lanes.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6 A new section is added to chapter 43.131 RCW
to read as follows:
Sections 2 and 4 of this act must be reviewed under this chapter
before June 30, 2008. The department of transportation shall provide
the information necessary for the joint legislative audit and review
committee to provide the required review.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7 A new section is added to chapter 43.131 RCW
to read as follows:
The following acts or parts of acts as now existing or hereafter
amended, are each repealed, effective June 30, 2009:
(1) Section 2 of this act; and
(2) Section 4 of this act.