BILL REQ. #:  H-2503.1 

READ FIRST TIME 03/07/05.   

     AN ACT Relating to multimodal concurrency strategies; amending RCW 47.80.030; adding a new section to chapter 36.70A RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 36.70A RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The transportation element required by RCW 36.70A.070 may include, in addition to improvements or strategies to accommodate the impacts of development authorized under RCW 36.70A.070(6)(b), multimodal transportation improvements or strategies that are made concurrent with the development. These transportation improvements or strategies may include, but are not limited to, measures implementing or evaluating:
     (a) Multiple modes of transportation with peak and nonpeak hour capacity performance standards for locally owned transportation facilities; and
     (b) Modal performance standards meeting the peak and nonpeak hour capacity performance standards.
     (2) Jurisdictions implementing new transportation improvements or strategies under this section or RCW 36.70A.070(6)(b) after December 31, 2005, shall prepare and submit to the department annual performance reports that include, at a minimum, an evaluation of the effectiveness of the improvements or strategies.
     (3) Nothing in this section or RCW 36.70A.070(6)(b) shall be construed as prohibiting a county or city planning under RCW 36.70A.040 from exercising existing authority to develop multimodal improvements or strategies to satisfy the concurrency requirements of this chapter.
     (4) Nothing in this section is intended to affect or otherwise modify the authority of jurisdictions planning under RCW 36.70A.040.

Sec. 2   RCW 47.80.030 and 1998 c 171 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Each regional transportation planning organization shall develop in cooperation with the department of transportation, providers of public transportation and high capacity transportation, ports, and local governments within the region, adopt, and periodically update a regional transportation plan that:
     (a) Is based on a least cost planning methodology that identifies the most cost-effective facilities, services, and programs;
     (b) Identifies existing or planned transportation facilities, services, and programs, including but not limited to major roadways including state highways and regional arterials, transit and nonmotorized services and facilities, multimodal and intermodal facilities, marine ports and airports, railroads, and noncapital programs including transportation demand management that should function as an integrated regional transportation system, giving emphasis to those facilities, services, and programs that exhibit one or more of the following characteristics:
     (i) Crosses member county lines;
     (ii) Is or will be used by a significant number of people who live or work outside the county in which the facility, service, or project is located;
     (iii) Significant impacts are expected to be felt in more than one county;
     (iv) Potentially adverse impacts of the facility, service, program, or project can be better avoided or mitigated through adherence to regional policies;
     (v) Transportation needs addressed by a project have been identified by the regional transportation planning process and the remedy is deemed to have regional significance; and
     (vi) Provides for system continuity;
     (c) Establishes level of service standards for state highways and state ferry routes, with the exception of transportation facilities of statewide significance as defined in RCW 47.06.140. These regionally established level of service standards for state highways and state ferries shall be developed jointly with the department of transportation, to encourage consistency across jurisdictions. In establishing level of service standards for state highways and state ferries, consideration shall be given for the necessary balance between providing for the free interjurisdictional movement of people and goods and the needs of local commuters using state facilities;
     (d) Includes a financial plan demonstrating how the regional transportation plan can be implemented, indicating resources from public and private sources that are reasonably expected to be made available to carry out the plan, and recommending any innovative financing techniques to finance needed facilities, services, and programs;
     (e) Assesses regional development patterns, capital investment and other measures necessary to:
     (i) Ensure the preservation of the existing regional transportation system, including requirements for operational improvements, resurfacing, restoration, and rehabilitation of existing and future major roadways, as well as operations, maintenance, modernization, and rehabilitation of existing and future transit, railroad systems and corridors, and nonmotorized facilities; and
     (ii) Make the most efficient use of existing transportation facilities to relieve vehicular congestion and maximize the mobility of people and goods;
     (f) Sets forth a proposed regional transportation approach, including capital investments, service improvements, programs, and transportation demand management measures to guide the development of the integrated, multimodal regional transportation system. For regional growth centers, the approach must address transportation concurrency strategies required under RCW 36.70A.070 and include a measurement of vehicle level of service for off-peak periods and total multimodal capacity for peak periods; and
     (g) Where appropriate, sets forth the relationship of high capacity transportation providers and other public transit providers with regard to responsibility for, and the coordination between, services and facilities.
     (2) The organization shall review the regional transportation plan biennially for currency and forward the adopted plan along with documentation of the biennial review to the state department of transportation.
     (3) All transportation projects, programs, and transportation demand management measures within the region that have an impact upon regional facilities or services must be consistent with the plan and with the adopted regional growth and transportation strategies.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   (1)(a) The department of transportation shall administer a study to examine multimodal transportation improvements and strategies to comply with the concurrency requirements of RCW 36.70A.070(6), subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose. The study shall be completed by one or more regional transportation planning organizations established under chapter 47.80 RCW electing to participate in the study.
     (b) The department of community, trade, and economic development shall provide technical assistance with the study to the department of transportation and participating regional transportation planning organizations.
     (2) The department of transportation shall, in consultation with members from each of the two largest caucuses of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate, and members from each of the two largest caucuses of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, approve the scope of the study established by this section.
     (3) The study shall, at a minimum, include:
     (a) An assessment and comprehensive summary of studies or reports examining concurrency requirements and practices in Washington;
     (b) An examination of existing or proposed multimodal transportation improvements or strategies employed by a city in a county with a population of one million or more residents;
     (c) Recommendations for statutory and administrative rule changes that will further the promotion of effective multimodal transportation improvements and strategies that are consistent with the provisions of RCW 36.70A.070 and 36.70A.020(3);
     (d) Recommendations for improving the coordination of concurrency practices in jurisdictions subject to RCW 36.70A.215;
     (e) An identification of effective multimodal transportation improvements and strategies employed by jurisdictions subject to RCW 36.70A.215; and
     (f) Recommendations for model multimodal transportation improvements and strategies that may be employed by counties and cities.
     (4) The department of transportation shall, in coordination with participating regional transportation planning organizations completing the study established by this section, submit a report of findings and recommendations to the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 31, 2006.