READ FIRST TIME 02/15/10.   

     AN ACT Relating to the use of revenue generated from tolling the state route number 520 corridor; amending RCW 47.56.870 and 47.56.875; adding a new section to chapter 47.56 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1    The legislature recognizes that during the 2009 legislative session tolling was authorized on the state route number 520 corridor. As such, it is the intent of the legislature that tolling commences in the spring of 2011 on the existing state route number 520 bridge.
     The legislature further recognizes that tolling of the state route number 520 corridor is integrally related to the issuance of a final project design resulting from the supplemental draft environmental impact statement for the state route number 520 bridge replacement and HOV program released in January 2010. It is the intent of the legislature that the department of transportation work with affected neighborhoods and local governments, including the mayor of the city of Seattle and the Seattle city council, to refine the preferred alternative design in the supplemental draft environmental impact statement so that the final design of the state route number 520 bridge replacement and HOV program will, to the extent required by state and federal law, include reasonable assurance that project impacts will be mitigated as much as practicable to protect against further adverse impacts on neighborhood environmental quality. Within the cost constraints identified in section 1, chapter 472, Laws of 2009, and consistent with an opening date to vehicular traffic of 2014, it is further the intent of the legislature that any final design of the state route number 520 bridge replacement and HOV program accommodate effective connections for transit, including high capacity transit, to the light rail station at the University of Washington, consistent with the requirements of RCW 47.01.408, and ensure the effective, efficient, and feasible coordination of bus services and light rail services throughout the state route number 520 corridor, consistent with the requirements of RCW 47.01.410. The legislature further intends that any cost savings applicable to the state route number 520 bridge replacement and HOV program stay within the program.

Sec. 2   RCW 47.56.870 and 2009 c 472 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The initial imposition of tolls on the state route number 520 corridor is authorized, the state route number 520 corridor is designated an eligible toll facility, and toll revenue generated in the corridor must only be expended as allowed under RCW 47.56.820.
     (2) The state route number 520 corridor consists of that portion of state route number 520 between the junctions of Interstate 5 and state route number 202. The toll imposed by this section shall be charged only for travel on the floating bridge portion of the state route number 520 corridor.
     (3)(a) In setting the toll rates for the corridor pursuant to RCW 47.56.850, the tolling authority shall set a variable schedule of toll rates to maintain travel time, speed, and reliability on the corridor and generate the necessary revenue as required under (b) of this subsection.
     (b) The tolling authority shall initially set the variable schedule of toll rates, which the tolling authority may adjust at least annually to reflect inflation as measured by the consumer price index or as necessary to meet the redemption of bonds and interest payments on the bonds, to generate revenue sufficient to provide for:
     (i) The issuance of general obligation bonds first payable from toll revenue and then excise taxes on motor vehicle and special fuels pledged for the payment of those bonds in the amount necessary to fund the ((replacement state route number 520 floating bridge and necessary landings)) state route number 520 bridge replacement and HOV program, subject to subsection (4) of this section; and
     (ii) Costs associated with the project designated in subsection (4) of this section that are eligible under RCW 47.56.820.
     (4)(a) The proceeds of the bonds designated in subsection (3)(b)(i) of this section((, which together with other appropriated and identified state and federal funds is sufficient to pay for the replacement of the floating bridge segment and necessary landings of state route number 520,)) must be used only to fund the ((construction of the replacement state route number 520 floating bridge and necessary landings)) state route number 520 bridge replacement and HOV program; however, two hundred million dollars of bond proceeds, in excess of the proceeds necessary to complete the floating bridge segment and necessary landings, must be used only to fund the state route number 520, Interstate 5 to Medina bridge replacement and HOV project segment of the program, as identified in applicable environmental impact statements.
     (b) The program must include the following elements within the cost constraints identified in section 1, chapter 472, Laws of 2009, consistent with the legislature's intent that cost savings applicable to the program stay within the program:
     (i) A project design, consistent with RCW 47.01.408, that includes high occupancy vehicle lanes with a minimum carpool occupancy requirement of three-plus persons on state route number 520;
     (ii) High occupancy vehicle lane performance standards for the state route number 520 corridor established by the department. The department shall report to the transportation committees of the legislature when average transit speeds in the two lanes that are for high occupancy vehicle travel fall below forty-five miles per hour at least ninety percent of the time during peak hours;
     (iii) A work group convened by the department to include sound transit, King county metro, the Seattle department of transportation, and the University of Washington to study and make recommendations of alternative connections for transit, including high capacity transit, to the light rail station at the University of Washington. The recommendations must be alternatives to the transit connections identified in the supplemental draft environmental impact statement for the state route number 520 bridge replacement and HOV program released in January 2010, and must meet the requirements under RCW 47.01.408, including accommodating effective connections for transit. For the purposes of this subsection, "effective connections for transit" means a connection that connects transit stops, including high capacity transit stops, that serve the state route number 520/Montlake interchange vicinity to the light rail station at the University of Washington, with a connection distance of less than one thousand two hundred feet between the stops and the light rail station. The department shall submit the recommendations by July 5, 2010, to the governor and the transportation committees of the legislature;
     (iv) A work group convened by the department to include sound transit and King county metro to study and make recommendations regarding options for financing high capacity transit through the state route number 520 corridor. The department shall submit the recommendations by January 1, 2011, to the governor and the transportation committees of the legislature;
     (v) A plan to address mitigation as a result of the state route number 520 bridge replacement and HOV program at the Washington park arboretum. As part of its process, the department shall consult with the governing board of the Washington park arboretum, the Seattle city council and mayor, and the University of Washington to identify all mitigation required by state and federal law resulting from the state route number 520 bridge replacement and HOV program's impact on the arboretum, and to develop a project mitigation plan to address these impacts. The department shall submit the mitigation plan by December 31, 2010, to the governor and the transportation committees of the legislature. Wetland mitigation required by state and federal law as a result of the state route number 520 bridge replacement and HOV program's impacts on the arboretum must, to the greatest extent practicable, include on-site wetland mitigation at the Washington park arboretum, and must enhance the Washington park arboretum. This subsection (4)(b)(v) does not preclude any other mitigation planned for the Washington park arboretum as a result of the state route number 520 bridge replacement and HOV program;
     (vi) A work group convened by the department to include the mayor of the city of Seattle, the Seattle city council, the Seattle department of transportation, and other persons or organizations as designated by the Seattle city council and mayor to study and make recommendations regarding design refinements to the preferred alternative selected by the department in the supplemental draft environmental impact statement process for the state route number 520 bridge replacement and HOV program. To accommodate a timely progression of the state route number 520 bridge replacement and HOV program, the design refinements recommended by the work group must be consistent with the current environmental documents prepared by the department for the supplemental draft environmental impact statement. The department shall submit the recommendations to the legislature and governor by July 5, 2010, and the recommendations must inform the final environmental impact statement prepared by the department; and
     (vii) An account, created in section 4 of this act, into which civil penalties generated from the nonpayment of tolls on the state route number 520 corridor are deposited to be used to fund any project within the program, including mitigation. However, this subsection (4)(b)(vii) is contingent on the enactment by June 30, 2010, of either chapter . . . (Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill No. 6499), Laws of 2010 or chapter . . . (Substitute House Bill No. 2897), Laws of 2010, but if the enacted bill does not designate the department as the toll penalty adjudicating agency, this subsection (4)(b)(vii) is null and void.
     (5) The department may carry out the ((construction and)) improvements designated in subsection (4) of this section and administer the tolling program on the state route number 520 corridor.

Sec. 3   RCW 47.56.875 and 2009 c 472 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
     A special account to be known as the state route number 520 corridor account is created in the state treasury.
     (1) Deposits to the account must include:
     (a) All proceeds of bonds issued for ((construction of the replacement state route number 520 floating bridge and necessary landings)) the state route number 520 bridge replacement and HOV program, including any capitalized interest;
     (b) Except as provided in RCW 47.56.870(4)(b)(vii), all of the tolls and other revenues received from the operation of the state route number 520 corridor as a toll facility, to be deposited at least monthly;
     (c) Any interest that may be earned from the deposit or investment of those revenues;
     (d) Notwithstanding RCW 47.12.063, proceeds from the sale of any surplus real property acquired for the ((purpose of building the replacement state route number 520 floating bridge and necessary landings)) state route number 520 bridge replacement and HOV program; and
     (e) All damages, liquidated or otherwise, collected under any contract involving the ((construction of the replacement state route number 520 floating bridge and necessary landings)) state route number 520 bridge replacement and HOV program.
     (2) Subject to the covenants made by the state in the bond proceedings authorizing the issuance and sale of bonds for the ((replacement state route number 520 floating bridge and necessary landings)) state route number 520 bridge replacement and HOV program, toll charges, other revenues, and interest received from the operation of the state route number 520 corridor as a toll facility may be used to:
     (a) Pay any required costs allowed under RCW 47.56.820; and
     (b) Repay amounts to the motor vehicle fund as required.
     (3) When repaying the motor vehicle fund, the state treasurer shall transfer funds from the state route number 520 corridor account to the motor vehicle fund on or before each debt service date for bonds issued for the ((replacement state route number 520 floating bridge project and necessary landings)) state route number 520 bridge replacement and HOV program in an amount sufficient to repay the motor vehicle fund for amounts transferred from that fund to the highway bond retirement fund to provide for any bond principal and interest due on that date. The state treasurer may establish subaccounts for the purpose of segregating toll charges, bond sale proceeds, and other revenues.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   A new section is added to chapter 47.56 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) A special account to be known as the state route number 520 civil penalties account is created in the state treasury. All state route number 520 bridge replacement and HOV program civil penalties generated from the nonpayment of tolls on the state route number 520 corridor must be deposited into the account, as provided under RCW 47.56.870(4)(b)(vii). Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation. Expenditures from the account may be used to fund any project within the state route number 520 bridge replacement and HOV program, including mitigation.
     (2) This section is contingent on the enactment by June 30, 2010, of either chapter . . . (Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill No. 6499), Laws of 2010 or chapter . . . (Substitute House Bill No. 2897), Laws of 2010, but if the enacted bill does not designate the department as the toll penalty adjudicating agency, this section is null and void.