Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Transportation Committee

ESSB 5343

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Description: Concerning parking impact mitigation from regional transit authority facility construction.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Hasegawa, King, Jayapal, Chase, Rolfes, Keiser, Darneille and Conway).

Brief Summary of Engrossed Substitute Bill

  • Requires a Regional Transit Authority (RTA), when it constructs or operates a transportation facility, to consider the potential impacts of that facility on parking availability for residents nearby and develop mitigation strategies.

  • Requires a city with a population of more than 600,000 that has implemented restricted parking zones in residential areas as a result of the parking impacts of an RTA facility to honor all requests for restricted parking zone permits, charge no more than $5 per year for such permits, and allow such permits for registered nonprofits located within a restricted parking zone.

Hearing Date: 2/18/16

Staff: David Munnecke (786-7315).

Background:

A Regional Transit Authority (RTA) is authorized to use its tax revenues to plan, construct, and operate high-capacity transportation, such as express bus service and light rail. There is currently one RTA, Sound Transit, which operates light rail, commuter rail service, and express bus service in Puget Sound.

Sound Transit's System Access Policy establishes a framework for addressing access to Sound Transit facilities and services and states that Sound Transit will work cooperatively and in partnership with local jurisdictions to manage parking demand at and near transit facilities. It further states that Sound Transit will work cooperatively with other providers of public transportation services and parking facilities to identify appropriate methods of responding to changing parking demands and usage patterns resulting from Sound Transit actions.

Summary of Bill:

When an RTA constructs or operates a transportation facility, it must consider the potential impacts of that facility on parking availability for residents nearby and develop mitigation strategies.

A city with a population of more than 600,000 that has implemented restricted parking zones in residential areas as a result of the parking impacts of an RTA facility must honor all requests for restricted parking zone permits, charge no more than $5 per year for such permits, and allow such permits for registered nonprofits located within a restricted parking zone.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

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