SENATE BILL REPORT

SHB 1857

BYHouse Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Representatives Cantwell, Walk, S. Wilson, Patrick, Fisher, Zellinsky, Jones, Sanders and Todd)

Creating a transportation improvement board.

House Committe on Transportation

Senate Committee on Transportation

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 23, 1988; February 24, 1988

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.

      Signed by Senators Patterson, Chairman; Nelson, Vice Chairman; Bender, DeJarnatt, Garrett, Hansen, Kiskaddon, McMullen, Owen.

Senate Staff:Gene Baxstrom (786-7303)

                  February 25, 1988

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, FEBRUARY 24, 1988

BACKGROUND:

Adequate transportation systems are vital to continued economic growth for Washington State.  Businesses considering establishing operations in a new locale repeatedly list transportation as a major criteria in their location decision.  An adequate transportation system also impacts the expansion decisions of Washington's existing businesses.

The Urban Arterial Board (UAB) and the Urban Arterial Trust Account (UATA) were formed in 1967 to address traffic congestion in urban areas.  The board is composed of thirteen members:  six county and six city members (all appointed by the Secretary of the Department of Transportation), and the state aid engineer of the DOT, who serves as chair.  The department provides facilities and staff to the board.

Rapid economic development, especially in suburban areas, is creating severe traffic congestion problems that are not being addressed. In recognition of the importance of developing methods to ensure improved responsiveness of highway programming in areas of rapid economic development, the Legislative Transportation Committee chairman convened in 1986 the Task Force on Transportation/Economic Development Issues.  One of the Task Force recommendations was creation of a new board to deal with multi-jurisdictional traffic congestion problems that included local government and/or private financial participation.

SUMMARY:

The Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) is created.  It is composed of six county representatives, six city representatives, and three department of Transportation (DOT) representatives.  Appointment of city and county members is by the DOT Secretary from a list of two nominees for each position submitted by the Washington Association of Counties and Association of Washington Cities respectively.  Members serve four-year terms (staggered) with initial appointments to be made by July 1, 1988.

The Transportation Improvement Account (TIA) is created and is administered by the TIB.  Allocation of funds in the account shall be made by June 30 each year and 87 percent is to be distributed for counties, cities over 5,000 population, and transportation benefit districts (TBD) for county, city, multi- agency, and suburban arterial improvement projects.  Projects must be consistent with state, regional, local and rail (when developed by the Rail Development Commission) transportation plans and consideration must be given the project's relationship, both actual and potential, with rapid mass transit, necessitated by existing or reasonably foreseeable congestion attributable to economic development or growth, and partially funded by local government and/or private contributions.  The TIB is to give priority consideration to those projects having met the above criteria that have the greatest percentage, on a project basis, of local and/or private contribution.

Thirteen percent is to be distributed to cities under 5,000 population, to be allocated as determined by the TIB.

The TIB is required to report to the Legislative Transportation Committee by January 15, 1989 and annually thereafter.

The TIB is the successor to the Urban Arterial Board and assumes all of its obligations, duties and powers.  Staffing and facilities are no longer provided by DOT but by the TIB from Urban Arterial Trust Account (UATA) funds.  Eligibility for UATA funds remains unchanged.

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED SENATE AMENDMENT:

The Transportation Improvement Board is directed to give priority, rather than priority consideration, to those projects with the greatest percentage of local and/or private contributions in counties, cities over 5,000, and Transportation Benefit Districts which are funded from the transportation improvement account.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      none requested

Senate Committee - Testified: Randy Ray, National Association of Industrial Office Parks/Washington Association of Wheat Growers (for)