The language of ESB6044 is as follows:

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 47.01 RCW to read as follows: During the design process for state highway projects that include the construction of a new bridge or the rehabilitation or reconstruction of an existing bridge across a navigable river or another transportation facility that is adjacent to or crosses a waterway, the department must consider and report on the feasibility of providing a means of public access to the navigable river or waterway for public recreational purposes.

 

This is a bipartisan bill with original sponsors that include Senator Ericksen (R, 42nd LD) who represents a district that includes Bellingham and Ferndale and Senator Hobbs (D, 44th LD) whose district includes Mill Creek, Lake Stevens, and Snohomish. The bill language is adopted from the California State Highway Code and we are working in partnership with Northwest Marine Trade Association, an organization devoted to growing boating and the sponsor of the Northwest Paddling Festival at Lake Sammamish State Park.

 

Need for Legislation:

 

In recent years we have witnessed several bridge projects at sites that are important for public access. In some cases the State Department of Transportation has done a great job of thinking about public access. It's often a simple matter of designing the landscaping to accommodate a foot trail to the water and making accommodations for parking outside the travel way. In other cases however the state has invested millions of dollars in a bridge project with no consideration for existing use of the right-of-way for public access to the water. A recent example was the replacement of the Highway 2 bridge across the Wenatchee River, an $8 million project where existing river access could have been easily improved. 

 

The outcome of these projects is largely dependent on our ability to establish relationships with individual project managers and we are pursuing this legislation to bring more consistency to how the Department of Transportation approaches the multiple public benefits that can be achieved with proper planning on the front end.

 

What You Can Do To Help:

 

The bill has passed the Senate unnanimously on March 5th but Washington DOT raised concerns when the bill was subsequently heard in the House Transportation Committee on March 23rd. We can work through these issues but we need strong public support for the bill. The most helpful action supporters can take right now is to send a quick note of support if your House member is on the House Transportation Committee. You can do this by identifying your House Representative at the Find Your Legislator link and then check it against the House Transportation Committee Member list.

 

Bill History To Date:

 

SENATE:

 

The bill was heard before the Senate Transportation Committee at 2/25/2015 1:30pm in Senate Hearing Rm 1, J.A. Cherberg Building, Olympia, WA. Individuals from six organizations signed in supporting the bill with no agencies or organizations objecting.

 

 

HOUSE:

 

The Senate bill was heard before the House Transportation Committee at 3/23/2015 3:30pm.

 

Watch the hearing video:

http://www.tvw.org/index.php?option=com_tvwplayer&eventID=2015031094

1:15:24 staff report on ESB6044 delivered

1:17:40 Supporting Public Testimony (Thomas O'Keefe, American Whitewater and Jennie Goldberg, League of Northwest Whitewater Racers)

1:25:34 Testimony of Washington Department of Transportation expressing concerns with legislation--on the number of projects, level of effort, scope, ADA requirements, public safety, liability, implications for ferry terminal projects, and lack of jurisdiction over interstate highways--but a willingness to work with the sponsors.

1:33:19 hearing on ESB6044 testimony concludes

 

We will be working through the concerns raised at the hearing in the coming weeks. The most helpful action supporters can take now is to send a brief note of support for the bill to members on the House Transportation Committee. We can work through the concerns but strong public support is essential to our efforts to engage key members in these discussions.