HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  SB 5005

                 As Passed House -  Amended:

                        April 7, 1999

Title:  An act relating to highway information signs.

Brief Description:  Allowing signing of safer routes to tourist‑oriented businesses.

Sponsors:  Senators Loveland, Haugen, Winsley and Rasmussen.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Transportation:  3/18/99, 3/30/99 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House:  4/6/99, 92-0.

Passed House:  4/7/99, 89-0.

                 Brief Summary of Bill

$Current law prohibits the Washington State Department of Transportation to sign alternate routes to roadway services that may be safer, but exceed the limit of being greater than 15 miles off of the highway.

$The Department of Transportation is allowed to erect and maintain signs on an alternate route that exceeds the 15-mile limit if it is safer and still provides reasonable and convenient access to an eligible roadway service.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 27 members:  Representatives Fisher, Democratic Co-Chair; K. Schmidt, Republican Co-Chair; Cooper, Democratic 1st Vice Chair; Ericksen, Republican Vice Chair; Hankins, Republican Vice Chair; Buck; G. Chandler; DeBolt; Fortunato; Haigh; Hatfield; Hurst; Lovick; McDonald; Mielke; Mitchell; Morris; Murray; Ogden; Pflug; Radcliff; Romero; Schindler; Schual-Berke; Scott; Skinner and Wood.

Staff:  Ashley Probart (786-7319).

Background:

State law authorizes the Department of Transportation (DOT) to erect and maintain signs that provide information to the traveling public.  The panels include motorist service information on gas, food, recreation, or lodging that is off of a primary or scenic highway.

For signing purposes, the maximum distance an eligible service may be located on either side of an interchange or intersection is determined by the type of highway.  Fully-controlled, limited access highways (such as the interstate system) require gas, food, or lodging services to be within three miles and camping facilities to be within five miles.  Partial access control or no access control highways require the same services to be within five miles.  However, if there are no eligible services within these specified distances, the distance can be increased up to 15 miles.

Since the enactment of this legislation, existing eligible services have identified alternate routes that are safer or more convenient but exceed the 15-mile signing limit.

Summary of Bill:

State law regulating the maximum distance eligible roadway services may be signed from off of the highway is modified.  The DOT is allowed to erect and maintain signs on an alternate route that exceeds the 15-mile limit if it is safer and still provides reasonable and convenient travel to an eligible service.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  None.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  None.