HOUSE BILL REPORT

EHB 1433

As Passed House:

March 5, 2003

Title: An act relating to designation of highways of statewide significance.

Brief Description: Designating highways of statewide significance.

Sponsors: By Representatives Cooper, Pearson, Lovick and Kristiansen.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Transportation: 2/3/03, 2/13/03 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House: 3/5/03, 97-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 27 members: Representatives Murray, Chair; Rockefeller, Vice Chair; Simpson, Vice Chair; Ericksen, Ranking Minority Member; Jarrett, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Anderson, Armstrong, Bailey, Campbell, Clibborn, Cooper, Dickerson, Edwards, Flannigan, Hankins, Hatfield, Hudgins, Kristiansen, Lovick, Mielke, Morris, Nixon, Romero, Schindler, Wallace, Wood and Woods.

Staff: Gene Baxstrom (786-7303).

Background:

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 regional transportation investment district legislation empowered the Legislature to also designate state highways of statewide significance and made that designation of a portion of State Route 509. The legislation also required that 90 percent of district revenues be expended along highways of statewide significance corridors.

Designation of a highway route as a highway of statewide significance means the improvements along the route are higher priority. 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 a level of service standards.

Summary of Engrossed Bill:

The State Route 9 corridor from State Route 522 near Woodinville to the Canadian border is designated as a highway of statewide significance.

State Route 704 in Pierce County, commonly known as the cross-base highway, is designated as a highway of statewide significance.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not Requested.

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

Testimony For: State Route 9 is a significant facility providing an alternative to the congested I-5 corridor. As part of the Regional Transportation Investment District plan for Snohomish County, it is one of the two highest priority corridors. A highway of statewide significance designation allows improvements to qualify for 90 percent of the district's funds.

Testimony Against: None.

Testified: Representative Cooper, prime sponsor; and John Koster, Snohomish County Council.