BILL REQ. #:  S-1241.1 

Read first time 02/07/2005.   Referred to Committee on Transportation.

     AN ACT Relating to the creation of a small city or town street improvement program; adding a new section to chapter 47.26 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The state legislature finds that it is in the state's interest to support the economic vitality of all cities and towns and recognizes that those cities and towns with a population of less than five thousand are unable to fully maintain and preserve their street system. Therefore the legislature finds it is necessary to create a small city pavement and sidewalk account.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 47.26 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) All cities and towns with a population of five thousand or less are eligible to receive money from the pavement preservation account created under subsection (2) of this section for maintenance, repair, and resurfacing of city and town streets. The board shall determine the allocation of money based on:
     (a) The amount of available funds within the pavement preservation account;
     (b) Whether the city or town meets one or more of the following criteria:
     (i) The city or town has identified a street in a six-year transportation improvement plan, as defined by RCW 35.77.010, or a project identified through the use of a pavement management system; and
     (A) The city or town has provided pavement rating information on the proposed street improvement or street network improvement; and
     (B) The city or town has provided sidewalk information on the proposed sidewalk system improvement;
     (ii) The city or town has provided information, where available, on traffic conditions for truck routes, bus routes, and traffic volumes;
     (iii) The city or town has the ability to provide a local match as demonstrated by one or more of the following:
     (A) A funding match based upon a city's assessed valuation;
     (B) Community involvement and support, including volunteer participation, such as landscaping and maintaining landscaping along the street or sidewalk system; or
     (C) Partnership efforts with federal or other state programs, including the department of community, trade, and economic development mainstreet program.
     (2) The pavement preservation account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. All receipts from motor vehicle fuel and special fuel taxes distributed into the account under RCW 46.68.090 must be deposited into the account. Expenditures from the account may be used only for distribution to qualifying cities and towns for the maintenance, repair, and resurfacing of city and town streets. Only the executive director of the transportation improvement board or the director's designee may authorize expenditures from the account. The account is subject to allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.