HOUSE BILL REPORT

SHB 1857

BYHouse Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Representatives Cantwell, Walk, S. Wilson, Patrick, Fisher, Zellinsky, Jones, Sanders and Todd)

Creating a transportation improvement board.

House Committe on Transportation

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (25)

      Signed by Representatives Walk, Chair; Baugher, Vice Chair; Betrozoff, Cantwell, Cooper, Day, Fisher, Fox, Gallagher, Hankins, Haugen, Heavey, Jacobsen, Jones, Kremen, Meyers, Prince, Schmidt, D. Sommers, Todd, Vekich, J. Williams, K. Wilson, S. Wilson and Zellinsky.

House Staff:Louise Bray (786-7322)

AS PASSED HOUSE FEBRUARY 13, 1988

BACKGROUND:

Adequate transportation systems are vital to continued economic growth for Washington State.  Businesses considering establishing operations in a new locale repeatedly list transportation as a major criteria in their location decision.  The adequacy of the transportation system also impacts the expansion decisions of Washington's existing businesses.

The Urban Arterial Board (UAB) and the Urban Arterial Trust Account (UATA) were formed in 1967 to address traffic congestion in urban areas.  The Board is composed of thirteen members:  six county and six city members (all appointed by the Secretary of the Department of Transportation), and the state aid engineer of the DOT, who serves as chair.  The Department provides facilities and staff to the Board.

Rapid economic development, especially in suburban areas, is creating severe traffic congestion problems that are not being addressed currently.  In recognition of the importance of developing methods to ensure improved responsiveness of highway programming in areas of rapid economic development, the Legislative Transportation Committee chairman, in 1986, convened the Task Force on Transportation/Economic Development Issues.  One of the Task Force recommendations was creation of a new board to deal with multi-jurisdictional congestion problems that included local government and/or private financial participation.

SUMMARY:

The Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) is created.  It is composed of six county representatives, six city representatives, and three Department of Transportation (DOT) representatives.  Appointment of city and county members is by the Secretary of the Department of Transportation, from a list of two nominees for each position submitted by the Washington Association of Counties and Association of Washington Cities respectively.  Members serve four-year terms (staggered), with initial appointments to be made by July 1, 1988.

The Transportation Improvement Account (TIA) is created and is administered by the TIB.  Allocation of funds in the Account shall be made by June 30 each year as follows:  (1) 87% for counties, cities over 5,000 population, and transportation benefit districts (TBD) for county, city, multi- agency, and suburban arterial improvement projects.  Projects must be:  a) consistent with state, regional, local and rail (when developed by the Rail Development Commission) transportation plans and consideration must be given the project's relationship, both actual and potential, with rapid mass transit; b) necessitated by existing or reasonably foreseeable congestion attributable to economic development or growth, and c) partially funded by local government and/or private contributions.  The TIB is to give priority consideration to those projects having met the above criteria that have the greatest percentage, on a project basis, of local and/or private contribution. (2) 13% for cities under 5,000 population, to be allocated as determined by the TIB.

The TIB is required to report to the Legislative Transportation Committee by January 15, 1989 and annually thereafter.

The TIB is the successor to the Urban Arterial Board and assumes all of its obligations, duties and powers.  Staffing and facilities are no longer provided by DOT but by the TIB from Urban Arterial Trust Account (UATA) funds.  Eligibility for UATA funds remains unchanged.

EFFECT OF SENATE AMENDMENT(S):  The amendment gives absolute priority to Transportation Improvement projects having the greatest amount of local and/or private financial contribution.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Jim Metcalf, Washington Association of Counties; Randy Ray, National Association of Industrial Office Parks and Washington Wheatgrowers; Stan Finkelstein, Association of Washington Cities.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    The Transportation Improvement Board contemplates the natural extension of a unified transportation system.  It will allow cities, counties, and the Department of Transportation, along with private citizens, to deal with multi-jurisdictional congestion problems caused by economic development and rapid suburban growth.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.

VOTE ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      Yeas 94; Excused 4

Excused:    Representatives Allen, Furhman, Hankins, Williams B