Brief Description: Regarding the state route number 520 bridge replacement and HOV project.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senator Murray).

Senate Committee on Transportation
House Committee on Transportation

Background: The State Route 520 Evergreen Point Bridge is a one and a half mile, 42 year old bridge crossing Lake Washington in King County. The bridge is in need of replacement due to its vulnerability to seismic activity and storm events. In addition to the deteriorating physical condition, the current bridge lacks shoulders for disabled and emergency vehicles and experiences considerable amounts of congestion on a daily basis. A draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that lays out the options for replacement structures was published in August 2006. During the public comment period the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) received over 1,700 unique submissions. Due to the volume of submissions that need to be addressed in a final EIS the schedule for completion of the final EIS has been delayed.

Certain impacts of highway construction are required to be mitigated for, while other elements are often negotiated with local jurisdictions. WSDOT has held multiple public open houses, community meetings, and other events to involve various stakeholders in bridge replacement discussions.

Summary: Mediator and Impact Plan: Directs the Office of Financial Management to hire a mediator and appropriate planning staff to develop a project impact plan for addressing the impacts of the project design on Seattle city neighborhoods and parks, including the Washington park arboretum, and institutions of higher education. Directs the mediator to work with all interested parties.

Requires that the mediator review the WSDOT's project design plans in the draft EIS for conformance with certain legislative goals, including the goals of minimizing the total footprint and width of the bridge and the project's impact on surrounding neighborhoods.

Permits the mediator to determine that certain additional alternative concept designs should be considered for the west end of the project, and to contract with an engineering firm to conduct an independent feasibility analysis of certain proposals. Requires that any such independent analysis be submitted to the Joint Transportation Committee by September 1, 2007, and that the mediator must hold a public hearing on the results.

Directs the mediator to provide to the Joint Transportation Committee and the Governor a progress report by August 1, 2007, and a final project impact plan by December 1, 2008.

State Route 520 Bridge Replacement Design & Construction: The project design is described as having six total lanes, with four general purpose lanes and two lanes that are for high occupancy vehicle travel that could also accommodate high capacity transportation, including bus rapid transit. The bridge must also be designed to accommodate light rail in the future.

Prohibits the WSDOT from beginning on-site construction on any part of the SR 520 project until it submits a finance plan to the Legislature that includes state funding, federal funding, at least $1.1 billion dollars in regional contributions, and revenue from tolling.

Multimodal Transportation Planning: Directs the Governor's Office to work with the WSDOT, Sound Transit, King County Metro, and the University of Washington to plan for high capacity transportation in the SR 520 corridor, and requires that the parties jointly develop a multimodal transportation plan that ensures the effective and efficient coordination of bus services and light rail services throughout the corridor.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate      45   4
House      74   23   (House amended)
Senate      42   6   (Senate concurred)

Effective:   May 15, 2007

Partial Veto Summary: The Governor vetoed section 4 of the bill which would have allowed a mediator to review additional design concepts for the west end of the project, and certain alternative designs for the entire project. Section 5 was also vetoed which would have prohibited on-site construction until a financial plan for the project had been submitted to the Legislature.