H-1895              _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 2152

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Representatives Walk, R. Fisher, Jacobsen and Crane

Read first time 2/24/89 and referred to Committee on Transportation.

AN ACT Relating to the transportation planning coordination act of 1989; adding a new chapter to Title 81 RCW; and making an appropriation.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     The legislature recognizes that it is in this state's best interest to establish a coordinated transportation planning program in the urban and rural areas of the state.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.

          (1) "Region" means the voluntary association of local governments in geographically contiguous counties of this state.  A region shall:

          (a) Cover at least one complete county;

          (b) Have a population of at least one hundred thousand, or contain a minimum of three counties; and

          (c) In areas that have an existing metropolitan planning organization, be no smaller than the existing metropolitan planning organization.

          (2) "Regional transportation planning organization" means the organization designated by each region to coordinate the regional transportation planning program for the region.  In urbanized areas, the regional transportation planning organization is the same as the metropolitan planning organization designated for federal transportation planning purposes.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     (1) Each regional transportation planning organization shall:

          (a) Have as members, a minimum of sixty percent of the cities and counties within the respective region which represent a minimum of seventy-five percent of the population in that region;

          (b) Develop and adopt a regional transportation plan that is coordinated with local land use and economic development plans, and local and state transportation plans;

          (c) Designate a lead planning agency to implement the regional transportation planning program.  The lead planning agency may be a regional council, a county or city agency, a Washington state department of transportation district, or other organization capable of implementing the regional transportation planning program.

          (2) All transportation projects funded with state transportation funds must be consistent with the regional transportation plan.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     Each regional transportation planning organization shall elect or otherwise create a transportation policy board.  Transportation policy boards shall provide policy advice to the regional transportation planning organization and shall allow representatives of the department of transportation, transit districts, ports, and member cities and counties within the region to participate in policy making.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.     (1) The sum of three million dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1991, from the motor vehicle fund to the department of transportation for the regional transportation planning program.  Such appropriation shall be disbursed as follows:

          (a) A maximum of fifteen thousand dollars per county for a total of five hundred eighty-five thousand dollars will be allocated as a base amount to each county participating in the regional transportation program;

          (b) A maximum of two million two hundred fifteen thousand dollars shall be allocated to participating counties on a per capita basis; and

          (c) A maximum of two hundred thousand dollars shall be set aside to be administered by the Washington state department of transportation as a discretionary grant program for special need planning projects.

          (2) Funds shall be allocated only to counties that choose to participate in the regional transportation planning program.  Any remaining appropriated funds shall be added to the discretionary grant program.

          (3) State transportation planning funds shall require a local match at the same ratio as federal transportation planning funds.  In-kind services may be used for local matching for state transportation planning funds.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6.     Sections 1 through 5 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 81 RCW.