Transportation

SB 6066 allows counties, cities, towns, or the Washington State Department of Transportation to designate "crash prevention zones" on public roads with frequent serious collisions. To create a zone, local governments must hold a public hearing and conduct safety studies (which may adjust speed limits), then increase traffic enforcement in those areas. Drivers caught speeding or causing collisions in these zones face a $73 fine, with the revenue funding safety improvements like road signs, engineering studies, and enforcement in the same zone. Zones automatically end once safety upgrades are completed or can be dissolved early by petition from 10% of local property owners/residents.

SB 6148 sets a 75-year maximum term for bonds issued by Washington state regional transit authorities, applying to both general obligation and revenue bonds. It also states that authorities issuing bonds with terms exceeding 40 years will become ineligible for the regional mobility grant program. This directly affects transit authorities planning long-term projects, such as light rail or bus system expansions, that rely on bond financing. The bill modifies existing law without changing current debt limits (e.g., 1.5% or 5% of taxable property value), focusing solely on bond term restrictions and grant eligibility.

Senate Bill 5802 rebalances how state funds are transferred to support transportation and public works projects. The bill amends existing laws to modify the amounts and durations of transfers from the state's general fund and the public works assistance account. Specifically, it adjusts financial contributions to the connecting Washington account, the move ahead WA flexible account, and the Tacoma Narrows toll bridge account. These changes generally reduce or shorten the periods for these transfers, directly affecting the financial allocations for various state transportation initiatives.