Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Transportation Committee

ESSB 6392

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Summary of Engrossed Substitute Bill

Allows the use of the proceeds from the State Route (SR) 520 bridge toll-backed bonds to be spent on any aspect of the SR 520 bridge replacement and HOV program, but requires $200 million in bond proceeds to be spent only on the floating bridge and the west side of the corridor.
Adds multiple elements to the SR 520 corridor program including HOV lane standards; work groups on alternative transit connections to the University of Washington light rail station, financing for high capacity transit in the corridor, design refinements, and Arboretum mitigation; and an account into which civil penalties generated on the SR 520 must be deposited, which can fund any project within the SR 520 program, including mitigation.

Background:

The State Route (SR) 520 Evergreen Point Bridge is a 1.5 mile, 47-year-old bridge crossing Lake Washington in King County. The bridge is scheduled for replacement due to its vulnerability to seismic activity and storm events. In addition to the deteriorating physical condition, the bridge lacks shoulders for disabled and emergency vehicles and experiences considerable congestion.

Since 2008 the project design for any SR 520 replacement facility has been required to have six total lanes, with four general purpose lanes and two lanes that are for high occupancy vehicle travel (HOV) and transit. The design must also accommodate effective connections for transit, including high capacity transit, to the light rail station at the University of Washington.

During the 2009 legislative session, Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2211 was enacted, authorizing the initial imposition of tolls on the SR 520 corridor (defined as the area between Interstate 5 and SR 202) to be charged only for travel on the floating bridge portion of the corridor. The use of toll-backed bond proceeds was limited to the construction of the replacement floating bridge and necessary landings.

Summary of Bill:

Bond proceeds, backed by revenue generated from tolls on the SR 520 corridor, may be used for any project within the SR 520 bridge replacement and high occupancy vehicle (HOV) program, including projects beyond just the replacement floating bridge. However, $200 million in bond proceeds must be used only to fund the floating bridge and the west side of the corridor.

The corridor program must include the following elements, consistent with the legislatively identified total project cost of $4.65 billion:

a minimum carpool occupancy of 3+ persons on the SR 520 HOV lanes;
HOV lane performance standards;
a work group to study alternative transit connections at the University of Washington light rail station;
a work group to make recommendations regarding options for financing high capacity transit through the corridor;
a mitigation plan for the Washington Park Arboretum;
a work group to make recommendations regarding design refinements to Washington State Department of Transportation's (WSDOT) preferred alternative; and
an account into which civil penalties for failing to pay tolls on the corridor are deposited, to be used for any project within the corridor, including mitigation.