HOUSE BILL REPORT

SSB 6548

As Reported by House Committee On:

Transportation

Title:  An act relating to signs on bus shelters.

Brief Description:  Allowing advertising on bus shelters.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Kastama, Oke, Rasmussen and Gardner).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Transportation:  2/20/02, 2/26/02 [DPA].

Brief Summary of Substitute Bill

(As Amended by House Committee)

$Local transit agencies are allowed to include advertising as part of a bus shelter along state highway rights of way.

$The Department of Transportation (DOT) may grant leases for bus shelters unless there are significant safety concerns.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended. Signed by 25 members: Representatives Fisher, Chair; Cooper, Vice Chair; Lovick, Vice Chair; Mitchell, Ranking Minority Member; Anderson, Armstrong, Edwards, Ericksen, Haigh, Hatfield, Holmquist, Jackley, Jarrett, Mielke, Morell, Murray, Ogden, Reardon, Rockefeller, Romero, Schindler, Simpson, Skinner, Sullivan and Wood.

Minority Report:  Do not pass. Signed by 1 member: Representative Hankins.

Staff:  Paul Neal (786‑7315).

Background:

Local transit agencies sometimes seek private partners for assistance in building and maintaining bus shelters.  The private partners are allowed to post advertising in exchange for this financial assistance.  This most often takes place within city limits where municipalities have authority to allow advertising shelters within public rights of way that adjoin state highways.

In unincorporated county areas, however, current law prohibits placing advertising along state highway right of way.  This inhibits transit agencies from seeking private partners to help with the expense of building and maintaining bus shelters in those areas.

Summary of Amended Bill:

Local transit systems are authorized to include commercial advertising on bus shelters located on state highway rights of way.  The DOT may grant air space leases for this purpose, unless there are significant safety concerns.  The advertising is limited to back‑to‑back panels, and the panels are not to exceed 24 square feet per side.  One back‑to‑back panel is allowed on the downstream side of the shelter.

Amended Bill Compared to Substitute Bill:

The DOT is given discretion to grant leases for commercial bus spaces, rather than required.  Limitations on terms of the lease are struck.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  This proposal would allow transit agencies to provide more bus shelters for patrons.  The DOT expressed concern about the mandatory nature of the bill as passed by the Senate.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  (In support) Representative Kastama; prime sponsor.

(In support with concerns) Kevin Desmond, Pierce Transit.

(With concerns) Toby Rickman, Department of Transportation.