Title: An act relating to limiting the posting of hazards to motorcycles to paved roadways.

Brief Description: Limiting the posting of hazards to motorcycles to paved roadways.

Sponsors: Senators Mulliken, Benson, Schoesler and Sheldon.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Transportation: 2/2/06, 2/6/06 [DP].

Passed Senate: 2/11/06, 41-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by Senators Haugen, Chair; Jacobsen, Vice Chair; Poulsen, Vice Chair; Benson, Ranking Minority Member; Benton, Berkey, Eide, Esser, Kastama, Mulliken, Oke, Sheldon, Spanel, Swecker and Weinstein.

Staff: Kelly Simpson (786-7403)

Background: Under current law, when construction, repair, or maintenance work is conducted on public highways, county roads, streets, or bridges and the work interferes with the normal and established mode of travel, the location must be properly posted by prominently displayed signs or flagmen or both. If the construction, repair, or maintenance work includes or uses grooved pavement, abrupt lane edges, steel plates, or gravel or earth surfaces, signs must be posted warning motorcyclists of the potential hazard. The department must adopt by rule a uniform sign(s) for this purpose including at least the language "MOTORCYCLES USE EXTREME CAUTION."

Summary of Bill: Work zone signs, warning motorcyclists of potential hazards, are only required in areas where the hazard or condition exists on a paved public highway, county road, street, bridge, or other thoroughfare commonly traveled.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

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

Testimony For: This bill corrects an error in the original legislation in that gravel roads are already somewhat hazardous to motorcyclists, and, therefore, costly signs are not really necessary in these locations. Additionally, these signs tend to be stolen on a more frequent basis than other road signs.

Testimony Against: None.

Who Testified: PRO: Larry Walker, WA Road Riders Assoc.; Dale Rancour, WA State Assoc. of County Engineers; Paul Bennett, Lincoln Co. Public Works.