Title: An act relating to transferring overweight sealed ocean-going containers between ocean marine terminals and railheads.

Brief Description: Facilitating sealed ocean-going container movement.

Sponsors: House Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Representatives Flannigan, Ericksen, Wallace, Woods, Chase and Kilmer; by request of Department of Transportation).

Brief History: Passed House: 3/10/05, 94-1.

Committee Activity: Transportation: 3/28/05 [DPA].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: Do pass as amended.Signed by Senators Haugen, Chair; Jacobsen, Vice Chair; Poulsen, Vice Chair; Swecker, Ranking Minority Member; Esser, Kastama, Mulliken, Oke, Spanel and Weinstein.

Staff: Hayley Gamble (786-7452)

Background: Any vehicle that exceeds current weight law restrictions may only travel on state highways if they receive a special overweight permit from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). WSDOT evaluates whether the state highway system to be traveled upon can sustain the excess weight, without any undue roadway stress, before granting overweight permits. The maximum allowable weight on state highways is 105,000 pounds and must be spread over various axle combinations as listed in current regulations.

Vehicles transferring large shipping containers over state highways to different locations within a port district's property sometimes exceed legal weights. These overweight vehicles require a special overweight permit. Overweight permits are only available if a vehicle's load is considered non-divisible, i.e. cannot reasonably be broken into smaller loads.

Several states consider sealed, ocean-going containers as non-divisible. Washington State law does not specify if such containers are considered non-divisible. If these containers are considered non-divisible then they would be eligible for an overweight permit.

Summary of Amended Bill: At the request of a port commission, WSDOT may enter into agreements with port authorities to establish short heavy haul industrial corridors within a port district's property.

WSDOT may issue special permits to overweight vehicles operating on state highways in the heavy haul corridor at a rate of $100 per month or $1,000 per year. The entity operating vehicles that move containers in the port district is responsible for paying the overweight permit fee. Except for administrative costs, all proceeds from these permits must be deposited into the motor vehicle fund.

Overweight vehicles must still comply with other weight regulations, including not exceeding 105,500 pounds total weight, and axle and tire requirements. Within a designated heavy haul corridor freight containers used in international trade are considered a non-divisible load.

Any heavy haul corridor created that is adjacent to Puget Sound, and also located in a county with a certain population, must limit the heavy haul corridor to a specific portion of state route 509.

Amended Bill Compared to Original Bill: Technical changes are made to the population numbers defining a county.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: None.

Testimony Against: None.

Who Testified: No one.