The 2018 legislative session brought with it good policy and budget discussions in the transportation world. The session kicked off important long-term conversations that transportation leaders will grapple with over the next number of years. They found resolution on several issues, but many more will have to wait for future sessions to be fully vetted.

Specifically, the Legislature succeeded in passing legislation that helps cities manage their state-route maintenance responsibilities, easing the financial burden many face as their populations inch upward (HB 2948). The Legislature also established an aviation loan program that will assist infrastructure improvement at small public airports (HB 1656), and legislation that will raise the salaries of state patrol troopers and sergeants (HB 2692). They tackled issues around recreational vehicle abandonment on public property (SB 6437), and resolved the long-term financial predicament the Tacoma Narrows Bridge has found itself in (HB 2990).

The Legislature also adopted several budget provisos that establish task forces to address a variety of issues, several of which they were unable to reach resolution on during the regular session. Notable provisos include:

• A proviso asking the Joint Transportation Committee (JTC) to study the current state of city transportation funding, identify emerging issues, and recommend funding sources to meet current and future needs. The provisos propose $360,000 for JTC to conduct this study, with a report due June 30, 2019. Funding is from the cities’ statewide fuel tax distribution dedicated solely to studies. AWC supported the inclusion of this study and thanks both the House and Senate Transportation Committees for prioritizing this important effort. We look forward to the conversations that will emerge from this work and its recommendations.
• A proviso asking the JTC to study the capital needs of public transportation systems operated by public transportation benefit areas, metropolitan municipal corporations, cities, counties and county transportation authorities. The study will include an inventory of each agency’s fleet, facilities, and replacement and expansion needs. The study will also look at funding sources available to cover these costs. AWC supports efforts to highlight our public transportation system needs.
• A proviso directing the JTC to study the regulation of transportation network companies (TNCs) in Washington. Past legislative efforts over multiple years to consolidate the regulation of TNCs have not been successful. The proviso appropriates $255,000 to study the regulatory framework used by local jurisdictions within Washington and in other states, evaluate the most effective public safety aspects of a regulatory framework, and assess the most efficient and effective regulatory structures for TNCs. The JTC must provide its findings and recommendations by January 14, 2019.
• $300,000 for the JTC to conduct a study of taxi and for-hire services regulated by the state, local governments, and port districts. The study shall compare state and local regulation of these private passenger transportation services and may include recommendations for improving the consistency or overall effectiveness and competitive fairness of the current regulatory framework.

However, many bills failed to advance and likely reemerge in sessions to come. These included policies concerning the regulation of transportation network companies such as Uber and Lyft (HB 2945, SB 6043, SB 6500), and efforts to “fix” the valuation schedule for the new Sound Transit 3 package that will build-out transit in the Puget Sound Region over the next several decades (HB 2201/SB 5955). In addition, efforts by the Transportation Improvement Board, Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board and Washington State Transit Association to codify their Connection Washington revenues (HB 2896/SB 6530), and a requirement to provide railroad community notice requirements (HB 2548), failed in 2018 legislative session.

Finally, it cannot go unmentioned that the transportation world is losing one of its most distinguished and well-respected leaders, Rep. Judy Clibborn (D-Mercer Island), Chair of the House Transportation Committee. Rep. Clibborn is retiring at the end of this term after 15 years in the House of Representatives. Before coming to the Legislature, Rep. Clibborn was mayor and a city councilmember for the City of Mercer Island. Rep. Clibborn has been a staunch ally of cities during her tenure in the Legislature, particularly as Transportation Chair. Her deep knowledge and understanding of city transportation issues has been paramount and will be greatly missed. We wish her all the best in her retirement.

AWC’s next steps

AWC will focus considerable attention on a number of Joint Transportation Committee (JTC) projects that will be getting underway over the next several months. This includes the 2-year $360,000 study aimed at evaluating the current state of city transportation funding and recommending potential better ways to address current and future needs.