(1)(a) For projects identified as connecting Washington projects and supported by revenues under chapter 44, Laws of 2015 3rd sp. sess., it is the priority of the legislature that the department deliver the named projects. The legislature encourages the department to continue to institutionalize innovation and collaboration in design and project delivery with an eye toward the most efficient use of resources. In doing so, the legislature expects that, for some projects, costs will be reduced during the project design phase due to the application of practical design. However, significant changes to a project title or scope arising from the application of practical design requires legislative approval. The legislature will utilize existing mechanisms and processes to ensure timely and efficient approval. Practical design-related changes to the scope may be proposed by the department, for the legislature’s approval, only if the project’s intended performance is substantially unchanged and the local governments and interested stakeholders impacted by the project have been consulted and have reviewed the proposed changes.

(b) To the greatest extent practicable, a contract for the construction of a project with any change to the title or scope, whether significant or not, arising from the application of practical design must not be let until the department has provided a detailed notice describing the change to the chairs and ranking members of the house of representatives and senate transportation committees or, if during the interim, to the joint transportation committee.

(c) To determine the savings attributable to practical design, each connecting Washington project must be evaluated. For design-bid-build projects, the evaluation must occur at the end of the project design phase. For design-build projects, the evaluation must occur at the completion of 30 percent design. Each year as a part of its annual budget submittal, the department must include a detailed summary of how practical design has been applied and the associated savings gained. The annual summary must also include for each project: Details regarding any savings gained specifically through changes in the cost of materials, changes in the scope of a project and associated impacts on risk, the retirement of any risk reserves, and unused contingency funds.

(2)(a) The transportation future funding program is intended to provide for future emergent transportation projects, accelerating the schedule for existing connecting Washington projects, and highway preservation investments, beginning in fiscal year 2024, based on savings accrued from the application of practical design and any retired risk or unused contingency funding on connecting Washington projects.

(b) Beginning July 1, 2016, the department must submit a report to the state treasurer and the transportation committees of the legislature once every six months identifying the amount of savings attributable to the application of practical design, retired risk, and unused contingency funding, and report when the savings become available. The state treasurer must transfer the available amounts identified in the report to the JUDY transportation future funding program account created in RCW 46.68.396.

(c) Beginning in fiscal year 2024, as a part of its budget submittal, the department may provide a list of highway improvement projects or preservation investments for potential legislative approval as part of the transportation future funding program. Highway improvement projects considered for inclusion under the transportation future funding program may include new connecting Washington projects, or accelerate the schedule for existing connecting Washington projects, and must: Address significant safety concerns; alleviate congestion and advance mobility; provide compelling economic development gains; leverage partnership funds from local, federal, or other sources; or require a next phase of funding to build upon initial investments provided by the legislature.

(d) It is the intent of the legislature that if savings attributable to the application of practical design are used to accelerate existing connecting Washington projects, savings must also be used for new connecting Washington projects of equal cost.

Intent—Effective date—2022 c 182: See notes following RCW 70A.65.240.

Effective date—2015 3rd sp.s. c 12: “Except for section 4 of this act, this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately [July 6, 2015].” [ 2015 3rd sp.s. c 12 § 7.]