If the project financing component of a proposal includes a plan to impose tolls, the evaluation panel shall specifically consider:
(1) The opinions and interests of units of government encompassing or adjacent to the path of the proposed tollway project in having the tollway installed;
(2) The potential impact of the proposed tollway project on local environmental, aesthetic and economic conditions and on the economy of the state in general;
(3) The extent to which funding other than state funding is available for the proposed tollway project and the extent to which resources other than tolls would be required to be established and/or maintained as necessary security to support such a financing;
(4) The likelihood that the estimated use of the tollway project will provide sufficient revenues to independently finance the costs related to the construction and future maintenance, repair and reconstruction of the tollway project, including the repayment of any loans to be made from moneys in the transportation innovative partnerships account created under RCW
47.29.230 or other accounts;
(5) With respect to tollway projects, any portion of which will be financed with state funds or department loans or grants:
(a) The relative importance of the proposed tollway project compared to other proposed tollways; and
(b) Traffic congestion and economic conditions in the communities that will be affected by competing tollway projects; and
(6) The effects of tollway implementation on other major highways in the state system and on community and local street traffic.
[Statutory Authority: RCW
47.29.030. WSR 07-04-095, § 468-600-331, filed 2/6/07, effective 3/9/07.]