Graves bill to help cities with road maintenance costs signed into law
A bill sponsored by Rep. Paul Graves to raise the population threshold for when a city assumes responsibility for maintaining state routes has been signed into law.
Under current law, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is responsible for maintaining state routes that cross through cities with fewer than 25,000 residents. House Bill 2948 will gradually raise that threshold to 35,000 residents in five-year increments through 2033. WSDOT is responsible and has authority for roadway surfaces and shoulders, slope stability, traffic control signals, and snow plowing when necessary.
Graves says his bill will help fast-growing exurban cities across the state, including Maple Valley.
“This bill is a win-win. Not only are we saving cities money, but we were able to draft the bill in such a way that it has no fiscal impact on the state,” said Graves, R-Fall City. “House Bill 2948 will make a real difference for cities like Maple Valley, which have seen their populations grow exponentially. I'm thrilled city planners won't have to worry about cutting programs or services in order to maintain state routes, and want to thank members on both sides of the aisle for the great bipartisan work that went into this bill.”
Bills go into effect 90 days after the adjournment of the regular legislative session. The 2018 legislative session adjourned March 8.
