(1) The board may create an emergency revolving loan program that is self-supporting in accordance with RCW 43.88.190. The board may award emergency loans to counties with a population of less than eight hundred thousand as of April 1, 2019, from the funds available in the county road administration board emergency loan account created in RCW 36.78.135 for emergency projects.

(2) Emergency projects are work of either a temporary or permanent nature which restores roads and bridges to a preemergency condition and may include reconstruction to current design standards. This work is the result of a sudden natural or man-made event which results in the destruction or severe damage to county roadway sections or structures such that, in the consideration of public safety and use, the roadway sections or structures must be immediately closed or substantially restricted to normal use. Work of an emergency nature is also beyond the scope of work done by a county in repairing damages normally or reasonably expected from seasonal or other natural conditions, and is beyond what would be considered maintenance.

(3) In order to obtain a loan under this section, there must be a county, state, or federal emergency proclamation declaring an emergency related to the event that caused the damage the emergency project intends to correct, and the county must agree to repay the loan with interest of not more than three percent. All repayment amounts must be deposited into the county road administration board emergency loan account.

(4) Any work performed on an emergency project funded in accordance with this section by county forces shall be exempt from the limits of RCW 36.77.065.

(5) Consistent with RCW 43.01.036, the board must submit a report to the legislature by December 1st of each even-numbered year identifying each project that received money from the county road administration board emergency loan account, the amount of the loan, the expected repayment terms of the loan, the expected date of repayment, and the loan repayment status. Each project should be reported about until the loan is repaid.

Finding—Intent—2019 c 157: “The legislature finds there is a need for a county road emergency fund to pay for unexpected costs that arise from natural or man-made events that damage county road infrastructure so it is no longer functional. The legislature intends to provide access to a revolving loan emergency account to ensure that smaller counties have options to pay for repairs to restore transportation services in a timely manner.” [ 2019 c 157 § 1.]