The legislature hereby recognizes the following imperative needs within the state: To create a statewide transportation development plan which identifies present status and sets goals for the future; to coordinate transportation modes; to promote and protect land use programs required in local, state, and federal law; to coordinate transportation with the economic development of the state; to supply a broad framework in which regional, metropolitan, and local transportation needs can be related; to facilitate the supply of federal and state aid to those areas which will most benefit the state as a whole; to provide for public involvement in the transportation planning and development process; to administer programs within the jurisdiction of this title relating to the safety of the state's transportation systems; and to coordinate and implement national transportation policy with the state transportation planning program.

The legislature finds and declares that placing all elements of transportation in a single department is fully consistent with and shall in no way impair the use of moneys in the motor vehicle fund exclusively for highway purposes.

Through this chapter, a unified department of transportation is created. To the jurisdiction of this department will be transferred the present powers, duties, and functions of the department of highways, the highway commission, the toll bridge authority, the aeronautics commission, and the canal commission, and the transportation related powers, duties, and functions of the *planning and community affairs agency. The powers, duties, and functions of the department of transportation must be performed in a manner consistent with the policy goals set forth in RCW 47.04.280.

*Reviser's note: "Planning and community affairs agency" means "department of community, trade, and economic development," but the name is retained here for historical purposes. The "department of community, trade, and economic development" was renamed the "department of commerce" by 2009 c 565.

Findings—Intent—2007 c 516: "The legislature finds and declares that the citizens of the state expect clear and concise goals, objectives, and responsibilities regarding the operation of the statewide transportation system. Furthermore, the state's citizens expect that the state periodically receive clear and streamlined information that measures whether the goals and objectives are being satisfied. Therefore, it is the intent of the legislature that this act serve to clarify existing goals, objectives, and responsibilities related to the operation of an efficient statewide transportation system." [ 2007 c 516 § 1.]