Background: The goals of the Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) law are to reduce air pollution, traffic congestion, and fuel consumption through employer-based programs that decrease the number of employees traveling by single-occupant vehicles to the workplace.

Each county containing an urban growth area (UGA), and each city within an UGA with a state highway segment exceeding the 100 person hours-of-delay threshold, as well as those counties and cities located in any contiguous UGA, are required to adopt a CTR plan and ordinance for major employers in the affected UGA. Person hours-of-delay means the daily person hours-of-delay per mile in the peak period of 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Each major employer in a jurisdiction that adopts a CTR plan must develop and implement a CTR program. Major employer means a private or public employer, including a state agency, that has 100 or more full-time employees at a single worksite who begin their regular workday between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m.

The Legislature intends the state to take a leadership role in effective CTR programs through the adoption of aggressive, substantive CTR programs by state agencies. The General Administration (GA) coordinates an interagency board (Board) to develop policies and guidelines regarding CTR strategies that can be applied to all state agencies. GA reviews the program of each state agency to determine if the program meets the policies and guidelines developed by the Board. GA also reviews each agency’s internal report on the performance of its program, and submits a biennial report for state agencies that is submitted to the Governor. The report is also incorporated into the CTR Board’s report to the Legislature.

State agencies sharing a common location in CTR affected urban areas where the total number of state employees is 100 or more are required to develop and implement a joint commute trip reduction program. Common location is interpreted to mean a common building. The GA must assist these agencies in creating the joint program.

Summary: The responsibilities that are with GA regarding coordination of state agency CTR programs are moved to the Department of Transportation (DOT).

In addition to the responsibilities formerly held by GA, DOT must develop a joint comprehensive commute trip reduction plan for all state agencies, including institutions of higher education, located in the Olympia, Lacey, and Tumwater UGAs. In developing the plan, DOT must consult with applicable state agencies, including institutions of higher education, local jurisdictions, regional transportation planning organizations, transit agencies, and the capital campus design advisory committee. The plan may include strategies to accommodate differences in worksite size and location. Within 90 days of the adoption of the joint comprehensive commute trip reduction plan, state agencies within the three UGAs must implement a commute trip reduction program consistent with the objectives and strategies of the plan.

DOT may coordinate a Board or other interested parties to create policies and guidelines that promote consistency among state agency CTR programs with the requirements developed under the joint comprehensive commute trip reduction plan, the CTR requirements for counties and cities, and the CTR requirements for employers.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate	48	0
House	62	35	(House amended)
Senate	46	2	(Senate concurred)