BILL REQ. #:  S-4348.1 

Read first time 02/02/2004.   Referred to Committee on Highways & Transportation.

     AN ACT Relating to allocation of federal transportation enhancement funds; amending RCW 47.80.030; adding a new section to chapter 47.01 RCW; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 47.01 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The secretary of transportation shall appoint an enhancement advisory committee representing interest groups and local governments. The enhancement advisory committee is limited to eleven members representing the following areas: One member from the department of transportation highways and local programs division, two members representing counties and two members representing the cities of Washington, a member representing pedestrian groups, a member representing trails and equestrian groups, a member representing historic and scenic highway groups, a member representing bicyclists, a member representing Indian nations, and a member representing the heritage community. The city and county representatives should be selected with consideration given to achieving a geographic balance of eastern and western Washington and large and small jurisdictions. The selection of city and county representatives should be drawn from metropolitan planning organization and regional transportation planning organization governing boards whenever possible. The state historic preservation officer shall represent the heritage community. The department of transportation's highway and local programs member shall serve as the committee chair.
     (2) The enhancement advisory committee shall make the final selection of projects funded with federal enhancement funds or like categorical funds made available to the state through the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act of 2003 (SAFETEA), or authorized under any federal surface transportation act that succeeds the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21).
     (3) The enhancement committee shall make final selection of projects using metropolitan planning organization or regional transportation planning organization priorities, consideration of the diversity of interest groups represented in subsection (1) of this section, and an equitable statewide distribution of funding that is based on population.
     (4) The enhancement committee shall allocate to scenic and historic highway programs not less than thirty-one percent of the enhancement funding specified in subsection (2) of this section.
     (5) Of the amount calculated in subsection (4) of this section, not less than thirty percent must be allocated to projects with a specific heritage element as identified by the committee's heritage community representative.
     (6) The department of transportation's highway and local programs staff shall provide all staff services to the enhancement committee.

Sec. 2   RCW 47.80.030 and 1998 c 171 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Each regional transportation planning organization shall develop in cooperation with the department of transportation, providers of public transportation and high capacity transportation, ports, and local governments within the region, adopt, and periodically update a regional transportation plan that:
     (a) Is based on a least cost planning methodology that identifies the most cost-effective facilities, services, and programs;
     (b) Identifies existing or planned transportation facilities, services, and programs, including but not limited to major roadways including state highways and regional arterials, transit and nonmotorized services and facilities, multimodal and intermodal facilities, marine ports and airports, railroads, and noncapital programs including transportation demand management that should function as an integrated regional transportation system, giving emphasis to those facilities, services, and programs that exhibit one or more of the following characteristics:
     (i) Crosses member county lines;
     (ii) Is or will be used by a significant number of people who live or work outside the county in which the facility, service, or project is located;
     (iii) Significant impacts are expected to be felt in more than one county;
     (iv) Potentially adverse impacts of the facility, service, program, or project can be better avoided or mitigated through adherence to regional policies;
     (v) Transportation needs addressed by a project have been identified by the regional transportation planning process and the remedy is deemed to have regional significance; and
     (vi) Provides for system continuity;
     (c) Establishes level of service standards for state highways and state ferry routes, with the exception of transportation facilities of statewide significance as defined in RCW 47.06.140. These regionally established level of service standards for state highways and state ferries shall be developed jointly with the department of transportation, to encourage consistency across jurisdictions. In establishing level of service standards for state highways and state ferries, consideration shall be given for the necessary balance between providing for the free interjurisdictional movement of people and goods and the needs of local commuters using state facilities;
     (d) Includes a financial plan demonstrating how the regional transportation plan can be implemented, indicating resources from public and private sources that are reasonably expected to be made available to carry out the plan, and recommending any innovative financing techniques to finance needed facilities, services, and programs;
     (e) Assesses regional development patterns, capital investment and other measures necessary to:
     (i) Ensure the preservation of the existing regional transportation system, including requirements for operational improvements, resurfacing, restoration, and rehabilitation of existing and future major roadways, as well as operations, maintenance, modernization, and rehabilitation of existing and future transit, railroad systems and corridors, and nonmotorized facilities; and
     (ii) Make the most efficient use of existing transportation facilities to relieve vehicular congestion and maximize the mobility of people and goods;
     (f) Sets forth a proposed regional transportation approach, including capital investments, service improvements, programs, and transportation demand management measures to guide the development of the integrated, multimodal regional transportation system; ((and))
     (g) Where appropriate, sets forth the relationship of high capacity transportation providers and other public transit providers with regard to responsibility for, and the coordination between, services and facilities; and
     (h) Includes a historic preservation element that identifies scenic and historic highway programs, rehabilitation and operating programs for historic transportation facilities, and links between heritage and economic development.
     (2) The organization shall review the regional transportation plan biennially for currency and forward the adopted plan along with documentation of the biennial review to the state department of transportation.
     (3) All transportation projects, programs, and transportation demand management measures within the region that have an impact upon regional facilities or services must be consistent with the plan and with the adopted regional growth and transportation strategies.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.