Title: An act relating to designating state route number 169 as a highway of statewide significance.

Brief Description: Designating state route number 169 as a highway of statewide significance.

Sponsors: Representatives Rodne, Simpson and Anderson.

Brief History:

Transportation: 2/1/06, 2/3/06 [DP].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 20 members: Representatives Murray, Chair; Wallace, Vice Chair; Woods, Ranking Minority Member; Skinner, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Appleton, Campbell, Clibborn, Curtis, Ericksen, Hankins, Hudgins, Kilmer, Lovick, Nixon, Rodne, Sells, Shabro, Simpson, B. Sullivan and Wood.

Minority Report: Do not pass. Signed by 3 members: Representatives Dickerson, Flannigan and Upthegrove.

Staff: Harvey Childs (786-7322).

Background:

In 1998 the Legislature directed the Transportation Commission (Commission) to designate highways of statewide significance. At a minimum, this designation was to include interstate highways and other statewide principal arterials needed to connect major communities across the state and support the state's economy.

The Commission refined the criteria and designated certain highways as highways of statewide significance. For a highway to be designated as a highway of statewide significance the following criteria were set: the highway must be a state highway, a principal arterial that is part of the national highway system, and a rural route serving statewide travel or an urban route with certain connectivity or freight volumes.

In 2002 the regional transportation investment district legislation empowered the Legislature to also designate state highways of statewide significance and made that designation of a portion of Sate Route 509. The legislation also required that 90 percent of district revenues be expended along highways of statewide significance corridors.

Designation of a highway route as a highway of statewide significance means the improvements along the route are higher priority. It also means that improvements are essential public facilities under the Growth Management Act (GMA) plans, GMA concurrence requirements do not apply, and the state is responsible for establishing level of service standards.

Summary of Bill:

The 25.26 mile State Route 169 corridor from the Junction of SR 164 in Enumclaw, north via Black Diamond and Maple Valley and curving west, ending at the Junction of SR 900 in Renton is designated as a highway of statewide significance.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: All districts along the corridor support the bill as this highway is truly a significant highway. The highway is currently classified as a T-1 freight corridor and the primary route to Mount Rainier. There is a large population growth in the area and traffic is projected to double by the year 2020. This would be a good thing for east King County.

Testimony Against: None.

Persons Testifying: Representative Rodne, prime sponsor; and Anthony Hemstad, City of Maple Valley.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.