The establishment of planning and design standards for items provided for in RCW
47.39.050 shall be coordinated by the department of commerce. The department of transportation, parks and recreation commission, and any other departments or commissions whose interests are affected shall prepare, submit, and file with the department of commerce standards relating to the scenic and recreational highway system. If varying planning and design standards are filed, the department of commerce shall consult with the submitting agencies on the merits of the several proposals and, based upon such consultation, establish a set of standards. Pursuant to the planning and design standards so established, the department of transportation and the parks and recreation commission shall develop the highways and areas adjacent thereto to accomplish the purposes of this chapter, but the department shall retain exclusive authority over the highway right-of-way.
Responsibility for construction and maintenance is hereby established between the department and the parks and recreation commission with the department responsible for activities financed with funds provided for under RCW
47.39.030(1) and the parks and recreation commission responsible for activities financed from other sources of funds. By mutual consent, responsibility for development and/or maintenance may be transferred between the two agencies.