BILL REQ. #:  H-1605.1 

Read first time 02/20/13.   Referred to Committee on Transportation.

     AN ACT Relating to a toll facility on Interstate 90 west of Interstate 405; 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 the state route number 520 floating bridge project is facing a funding shortfall, and that imposing tolls to cross Lake Washington on Interstate 90 is being considered as a revenue source to complete the state route number 520 project. The legislature recognizes further that such tolls may disproportionately impact the residents who must traverse a portion of Interstate 90 to access employment and necessary medical services. Therefore, and in response to concerns raised by local governments regarding this disproportionate impact on their citizens, the legislature intends to direct the department of transportation to explore options to mitigate any disproportionate impact that would be felt by these residents as a result of such tolling.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 47.56 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) During any ongoing or any future study into the tolling of Interstate 90 west of Interstate 405, the department must explore and evaluate options to mitigate the effect of tolling on affected residents.
     (2) The department must consider the following mitigation options:
     (a) Allowing all Washington residents to traverse a portion of the tolled section of Interstate 90 without paying a toll. Residents may choose either (i) the portion of Interstate 90 between the easternmost landing west of Mercer Island and the westernmost landing on Mercer Island; or (ii) the portion of Interstate 90 between the westernmost landing east of Mercer Island and the easternmost landing on Mercer Island;
     (b) Assessing a toll only when a driver traverses, in either direction, the entire portion of Interstate 90 between the easternmost landing west of Mercer Island and the westernmost landing east of Mercer Island; and
     (c) Allowing affected residents to choose one portion of the tolled section of Interstate 90 upon which they may travel without paying a toll. Residents may choose either (i) the portion of Interstate 90 between the easternmost landing west of Mercer Island and the westernmost landing on Mercer Island or (ii) the portion of Interstate 90 between the westernmost landing east of Mercer Island and the easternmost landing on Mercer Island.
     (3) The department may also consider any alternative mitigation options that conform to the purpose of this section.
     (4) For the purposes of this section, "affected residents" means those people who must use a portion of Interstate 90 west of Interstate 405 upon which tolling is considered in order to access necessary medical services, such as a hospital.