SENATE BILL REPORT

SSB 6426

BYSenate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Cantu, Bender, Patterson and McDonald)

Revising the Scenic and Recreational Highway System.

Senate Committee on Transportation

Senate Hearing Date(s):January 25, 1990; February 1, 1990

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6426 be substituted therefore, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators Patterson, Chairman; Barr, Bender, Benitz, Conner, DeJarnatt, Hansen, Madsen, Murray, Nelson, Patrick, Sellar.

Senate Staff:Vicki Fabre (786-7313)

                  February 10, 1990

AS PASSED SENATE, FEBRUARY 7, 1990

BACKGROUND:

Designation of a state route as a scenic highway requires legislative authorization.  The recreational character and geography of State Route 901 is similar to other state routes of comparable usage that have been designated as scenic and recreational highways.

Legislation was passed in 1989 which designated State Route 901 as part of the scenic and recreational highway system.  The bill, however, was vetoed by the Governor on the basis that further additions to the scenic highway system should not be made until the Legislature developed specific selection criteria to prioritize and rank the various highways that merit designation to the scenic and recreational system.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Transportation, in consultation with the Parks and Recreation Commission, is required by December 1, 1990 to develop a method for assessing scenic and recreational merit for adding highways to the scenic and recreational highway system.  Recommendations for highway additions to the system, made after the effective date of the act, must be made by the department in accordance with the method adopted.  The department's recommendations on additions to the system are subject to legislative approval.

The method developed by the department for assessing scenic and recreational merit shall take into consideration such factors as:  (1) the scenic quality of the corridor; (2) service to major population centers; (3) variety of recreational experience; and (4) degree of urgency to which the corridor is to be protected.

State Route 901, beginning in the vicinity west of Issaquah, then north to the west of Lake Sammamish to a point in the vicinity of Redmond, is designated as part of the scenic and recreational highway system as of the effective date of the act.  Should the statutory description of State Route 901 change, the route retains its designation as a scenic and recreational highway.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      requested January 17, 1990

Senate Committee - Testified: Senator Cantu, Prime Sponsor; David Peach, Washington State Department of Transportation