Brief Description: Meeting commute trip reduction goals by providing preferential motorcycle parking.

Sponsors: Representatives Simpson, Nixon, Upthegrove, Haler, Murray, O'Brien, Sells, Condotta, Buck, Campbell and Kilmer.

Hearing Date: 2/28/05

Staff: Beth Redfield (786-7347).

Background:

The Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) law was passed in 1991 and is incorporated into the Washington Clean Air Act. The goals of the program are to reduce traffic congestion, air pollution, and petroleum consumption through employer-based programs that decrease the number of commute trips made by single occupant drivers.

Currently, counties with a population over 150,000, and each city or town within those counties containing a major employer must adopt by ordinance and implement a CTR plan for all major employers. Major employers are defined as employers of 100 or more full-time employees at a single worksite who begin their scheduled workday between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. Counties and cities that do not meet these population requirements may voluntarily adopt and implement CTR plans.

At present, the state's nine largest counties are required to implement commute trip reduction plans designed to reduce the number of single occupant vehicle commute trips and commute trip vehicle miles traveled per employee.

Employers in CTR jurisdictions must submit plans which, among other things, implement a set of measures designed to achieve commute trip reduction goals. The measures may include the following:

• Provision of preferential parking or reduced parking charges, or both, for high-occupancy vehicles;
• Instituting or increasing parking charges for single-occupant vehicles;
• Provision of commuter ride matching services to facilitate employee ridesharing for commute trips;
• Provision of subsidies for transit fares;
• Provision of vans for van pools;
• Provision of subsidies for car pooling or van pooling;
• Permitting the use of the employer's vehicles for car pooling or van pooling;
• Permitting flexible work schedules to facilitate employees' use of transit, car pools, or van pools;
• Cooperation with transportation providers to provide additional regular or express service to the worksite;
• Construction of special loading and unloading facilities for transit, car pool, and van pool users;
• Provision of bicycle parking facilities, lockers, changing areas, and showers for employees who bicycle or walk to work;
• Provision of a program of parking incentives such as a rebate for employees who do not use the parking facility;
• Establishment of a program to permit employees to work part or full time at home or at an alternative worksite closer to their homes;
• Establishment of a program of alternative work schedules such as compressed work week schedules which reduce commuting; and
• Implementation of other measures designed to facilitate the use of high-occupancy vehicles such as on-site day care facilities and emergency taxi services.

Summary of Bill:

A major employer may include in its CTR plan preferential parking or reduced parking charges for motorcycles.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: None.

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