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Transportation Commission study prompts bill to tighten route‑transfer rules and require legislative review for major abandonments
Summary
A Transportation Commission study found route jurisdiction transfers are rare but can create major local costs. House Bill 2,172 would expand the commissions RJT process to include abandonments over two miles or that include bridges, require pre‑request conferences and cost/risk analyses, and give the Legislature final authority when projects decommission state highway segments.
The Washington State House Transportation Committee on Feb. 5 heard a work session and public testimony tied to a Transportation Commission study of route jurisdiction transfers and a companion bill, House Bill 2,172.
Rima Griffith, executive director of the Washington State Transportation Commission, told the committee the commission reviewed ownership of centerline miles and found counties own roughly 49 percent, cities about 22 percent and the state roughly 9 percent. She said the RJT (route jurisdiction transfer) process is rare: the commission recorded 16 transfers since 1991 with a net change of about 10 miles from the state to local jurisdictions.
Paula Reeves, who led the study team, said the review found the state highway system remains largely…
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