Title: An act relating to transportation funding and appropriations.

Brief Description: Making 2006 supplemental transportation appropriations.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Haugen, Benson and Jacobsen; by request of Governor Gregoire).

Brief History:

Transportation: 2/27/06, 2/28/06 [DPA].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: Do pass as amended. Signed by 26 members: Representatives Murray, Chair; Wallace, Vice Chair; Woods, Ranking Minority Member; Appleton, Buck, Campbell, Clibborn, Curtis, Dickerson, Flannigan, Hankins, Hudgins, Jarrett, Kilmer, Lovick, Morris, Nixon, Rodne, Schindler, Sells, Shabro, Simpson, B. Sullivan, Takko, Upthegrove and Wood.

Minority Report: Do not pass. Signed by 2 members: Representatives Ericksen and Holmquist.

Staff: Gary Lebow (786-7304).

Background:

The operating and capital expenses of state transportation agencies which includes Department of Transportation, Washington State Patrol, Department of Licensing, County Road Administration Board, Transportation Improvement Board, and Traffic Safety Commission and other agencies with transportation functions are funded on a biennial basis. This is accomplished through an omnibus transportation budget adopted by the Legislature in odd-numbered years. Additionally, supplemental budgets may be adopted during the biennium making various modifications to agency appropriations.

Summary of Amended Bill:

The 2005-07 biennial appropriations for various transportation agencies and programs are modified. (See Transportation Committee supporting documents for more detail)

Amended Bill Compared to Substitute Bill:

In the amended bill:

• The Department of Licensing was given authority to join in lawsuits filed by other states seeking funding to implement the REAL ID Act.
• Requires the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Washington State Economic Revenue Forecast Council, and the Office of Financial Management to review and adopt a new method of forecasting fuel prices, revenue and consumption method with a higher rate of accuracy than the existing method.
• Makes technical changes which moves two rail studies from the DOT Rail Capital to Rail Operating; corrects reference to slide repair to SR4; restores funding for the Marginal Way project, which was inadvertently left out; and, in the transfer authorization section, changes a reference from the Transportation Commission to the Director of Financial Management.
• Returns the funding for the Paradise Lake Road and Snohomish River bridge section of SR 522 to the original nickel allocations.
• Washington State Department of Transportation will only continue planning for Alaskan Way Viaduct alternatives for which full funding is appropriated, earmarked or in hand.
• Requires that prior to beginning construction on the SR 520 bridge replacement and HOV project and Alaskan Way Viaduct project, the DOT must designate the preferred alternative.
• Combines the Palouse River and Coulee City railroad acquisition and upgrades into one project.
• Transfers $4.61 million from the Motor Vehicle Account to the Freight Mobility Multimodal Account for a freight mobility project agreed to by the Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board and the Burlington Northern Santa Fee Railway.

Appropriation: Please refer to the bill.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date of Amended Bill: The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

Testimony For: We support the funding of state-run passenger-only ferries. We support the money in the budget to purchase new van pools and assist local governments in making the commute trip reduction program work, in accordance with HB 3089.

Testimony Against: State funds should go to state-run ferries, and the Kingston passenger ferry terminal should be removed from the list of potential substitute projects for regional mobility grants. The labor proviso for Washington State Ferries should allow for payment of pending labor agreements. The effective date of the cost of living increases granted in the 2005 budget should be changed from September 1 to July 1 for ferry employees.

Persons Testifying: (In support) Genesse Adkins, Transportation Choices Coalition; and Lisa Thatcher, Port of Tacoma.

(Opposed) Gordon Baxter, Inland Boatman's Union, Marine Engineers Beneficial Association, Masters Mates and Pilots Union, Office and Professional Employees International Union, Puget Sound Metal Trades Council.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.