Brief Summary of Bill

• Designates State Route 6, running from Raymond to Chehalis, as a highway of statewide significance.

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 24 members: Representatives Murray, Chair; Rockefeller, Vice Chair; Simpson, Vice Chair; Ericksen, Ranking Minority Member; Jarrett, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Anderson, Bailey, Clibborn, Cooper, Dickerson, Flannigan, Hankins, Hatfield, Hudgins, Kristiansen, Lovick, Nixon, Romero, Schindler, Shabro, Sullivan, Wallace, Wood and Woods.

Minority Report: Do not pass. Signed by 2 members: Representatives Armstrong and Mielke.

In 1998 the Legislature directed the Transportation Commission (Commission) to designate highways of statewide significance. At a minimum, this designation was to include interstate highways and other statewide principal arterials needed to connect major communities across the state and support the state's economy.

The Commission refined the criteria and designated certain highways as highways of statewide significance. For a highway to be designated as a highway of statewide significance the following criteria were set: the highway must be a state highway, a principal arterial that is part of the national highway system, and a rural route serving statewide travel or an urban route with certain connectivity or freight volumes.

In 2002 the Legislature authorized itself to designate state highways which are highways of statewide significance, and made that designation for a portion of State Route 509 yet to be constructed.

Designation of a highway route as an highway of statewide significance means the improvements along the route are higher priority than for other highways. It also means that improvements are essential public facilities under the Growth Management Act (GMA) plans, GMA concurrency requirements do not apply, and the state is responsible for establishing level of service standards.

State Route 6 runs 51 miles westerly from a junction with State Route 101 at Raymond to a junction with State Route 5 at Chehalis.

State Route 6 from a junction with SR 101 at Raymond to a junction with State Route 5 at Chehalis is designated a highway of statewide significance.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: This is one of only four routes connecting the coastal areas with the inland. It is a narrow highway with many deficient bridges, some too narrow for school buses and large pickups to pass by one another. This area is rich in bird life and the Audubon Washington is adding the area to a recommended area for birding.

Testified: Representative Hatfield, prime sponsor; Doug Miller, Pacific Council of Governments; Jim Lowery, Washington Rural Development Council; and Nina Carter, Audubon Washington.