A county pursuant to chapter
36.88 RCW, or a service district as provided for in chapter
36.83 RCW, may, with the approval of the state department of transportation, improve or fund the improvement of any state highway within its boundaries. The county may fund improvements under this section by any means authorized by law, except that expenditures of county road funds under chapter
36.82 RCW under this section must be limited to improvements to the state highway system and shall not include maintenance or operations. Nothing in this section shall limit the authority of a county to fund cooperative improvement and maintenance agreements with the department of transportation, authorized by RCW
36.75.030 or
47.28.140.