Title: An act relating to designating state route number 164 as a highway of statewide significance.

Brief Description: Designating state route number 164 as a highway of statewide significance.

Sponsors: Representatives Hurst, Roach, Sullivan and Simpson.

Brief History: Passed House: 1/23/08, 97-0.

Committee Activity: Transportation: 2/27/08, 3/3/08 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by Senators Haugen, Chair; Marr, Vice Chair; Swecker, Ranking Minority Member; Berkey, Delvin, Eide, Jacobsen, Kauffman, Kilmer, King, Pflug, Sheldon and Spanel.

Staff: Hayley Gamble (786-7452)

Background: A highway of statewide significance (HSS) can be designated as such by the Department of Transportation (Department) with legislative approval, or directly by the Legislature. An HSS is, at a minimum, an interstate highway or other statewide principal arterial needed to connect major communities across the state and support the state's economy. Approximately 50 percent of Washington's highways are designated HSS.

Designation of a highway route as an HSS indicates that the highway is exempt from local transportation traffic-flow concurrency requirements.

Summary of Bill: The 15-mile State Route (SR) 164 corridor, beginning at the junction of SR 18 in the vicinity of Auburn, and then southeasterly ending at the junction of SR 410 at Enumclaw, is designated as an HSS.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

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

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: PRO: This is a bill that has been proposed in the past. SR 164 is no longer a rural corridor; it goes through an urban area. Hopefully this designation will help secure additional funding in the future.

Persons Testifying: PRO: Rick Jensen, Muckleshoot Tribe; Carolyn Robertson, City of Auburn.