RCW 47.01.425 provides that the transportation commission shall receive and review letters of request from cities, counties, or the department of transportation requesting any addition or deletion from the state highway system. The commission shall use the criteria established in RCW 47.17.001 to evaluate these requests and to adopt administrative rules.

For purposes of implementing the requirements of RCW 47.01.425 and 47.17.001, relative to the transportation commission, the following definitions shall apply:

Commission—When commission is used in this chapter, it refers to the transportation commission.

Connecting link—Connecting links should provide system continuity, including needed alternate routing of regionally oriented through-traffic or access to major regional-based public facilities or traffic generators. Generally, links bypass the central business district and/or the central city and form loops and beltways.

Connection to places—Places may be considered connected if they are within approximately two miles of a state highway.

Corridor—A corridor may vary depending on the characteristics of a region and the use of the facilities. The corridor limits used by the commission to analyze a state highway route will be as described by the metropolitan planning organization (MPO) or regional transportation planning organization (RTPO) for the area where the route is located.

Parallel highway route—Parallel route consideration is used to analyze alternative routes within the same corridor. Outside a corridor, a route should be considered a viable highway route if it meets the other criteria in this chapter.

Population equivalency of one thousand or more—To determine the equivalent population of a recreation area, refer to the WSDOT publication, "Guidelines for Amending Urban Boundaries, Functional Classifications, and Federal-Aid Systems."

Rural highway route—A rural highway route is the portion of a route that lies outside a federal urban area boundary.

Urban highway route—An urban highway route is the portion of a route that is within a federal urban area boundary.

In considering whether to make additions, deletions, or other changes to the state highway system, the legislature is guided by criteria in RCW 47.17.001. Counties, cities, the department of transportation and the commission will use these same criteria to assess the merits of any proposed changes to the state highway system.

The agency initiating a route jurisdiction transfer request shall do so by submitting a written request to the commission utilizing the criteria specified in RCW 47.17.001. This written request shall be signed by the head of the requesting agency.

Prior to February 1, yearly, cities, counties or the department of transportation shall submit a letter of request for jurisdiction transfer to the commission. The written request shall be in conformance with the procedures established in this chapter.

(1) At the discretion of the commission, and in addition to a regularly scheduled commission meeting, public testimony may be solicited relative to a specific jurisdiction transfer request. The commission will record public testimony and develop summary minutes of the meeting.

(2) If public testimony is solicited, the commission will provide written notice to each agency involved in the transfer, legislators whose districts are impacted by the proposed route transfer and any others who have specifically requested in writing to be provided notice.

(1) The commission shall prepare a preliminary finding for all jurisdiction transfer requests and provide written notice of the preliminary finding to the interested parties indicated in WAC 468-710-060(2) for review and comment.

(2) For preliminary findings, the commission will provide thirty calendar days from the date the notice is mailed for interested parties to provide written comments on the preliminary finding. The individuals giving comment must provide their name and address and the comments must address the criteria specified in RCW 47.17.001.

(1) Following the thirty calendar-day comment period, the commission will prepare a report of final finding and recommendation for submittal to the senate and house transportation committees. The commission will consider any comments or additional information and provide written notice of the final finding to the interested parties indicated in WAC 468-710-060(2).

(2) The contents of the report should include:

(a) Name of agency submitting the request for transfer;

(b) Route being considered for transfer;

(c) A map;

(d) Comparison against the criteria specified in RCW 47.17.001;

(e) Findings;

(f) recommendation; and

(g) Supplemental information, such as:

(i) Summary minutes of meetings;

(ii) Comments received;

(iii) Response to comments; and

(iv) Other appropriate information.