(1) The department shall conduct periodic analyses of the entire state highway system and report to the office of financial management and the chairs of the transportation committees of the senate and house of representatives, any subsequent recommendations to subdivide, classify, and subclassify all designated state highways into the following three functional classes:

(a) The “principal arterial system” shall consist of a connected network of rural arterial routes with appropriate extensions into and through urban areas, including all routes designated as part of the interstate system, which serve corridor movements having travel characteristics indicative of substantial statewide and interstate travel;

(b) The “minor arterial system” shall, in conjunction with the principal arterial system, form a rural network of arterial routes linking cities and other activity centers which generate long distance travel, and, with appropriate extensions into and through urban areas, form an integrated network providing interstate and interregional service; and

(c) The “collector system” shall consist of routes which primarily serve the more important intercounty, intracounty, and intraurban travel corridors, collect traffic from the system of local access roads and convey it to the arterial system, and on which, regardless of traffic volume, the predominant travel distances are shorter than on arterial routes.

(2) The department shall adopt a functional classification of highways. The department shall consider comments from the public and local municipalities. The department shall give consideration to criteria consistent with this section and federal regulations relating to the functional classification of highways, including but not limited to the following:

(a) Urban population centers within and without the state stratified and ranked according to size;

(b) Important traffic generating economic activities, including but not limited to recreation, agriculture, government, business, and industry;

(c) Feasibility of the route, including availability of alternate routes within and without the state;

(d) Directness of travel and distance between points of economic importance;

(e) Length of trips;

(f) Character and volume of traffic;

(g) Preferential consideration for multiple service which shall include public transportation;

(h) Reasonable spacing depending upon population density; and

(i) System continuity.

(3) The department or the legislature shall designate state highways of statewide significance under RCW 47.06.140. If the department designates a state highway of statewide significance, it shall submit a list of such facilities for adoption by the legislature. This statewide system shall include at a minimum interstate highways and other statewide principal arterials that are needed to connect major communities across the state and support the state’s economy.

(4) The department shall designate a freight and goods transportation system. This statewide system shall include state highways, county roads, and city streets. The department, in cooperation with cities and counties, shall review and make recommendations to the legislature regarding policies governing weight restrictions and road closures which affect the transportation of freight and goods.

Effective date—2006 c 334: See note following RCW 47.01.051.

Findings—Intent—Part headings—Effective dates—2005 c 319: See notes following RCW 43.17.020.

Severability—1979 ex.s. c 122: “If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.” [ 1979 ex.s. c 122 § 10.]

Effective dates—1977 ex.s. c 130: “Section 1 of this 1977 act modifying the functional classification of state highways shall apply to the long range plan for highway improvements and to the six year program for highway construction commencing July 1, 1979 and to the preparation thereof and shall take effect July 1, 1977. Section 2 of this 1977 act shall take effect July 1, 1979.” [ 1977 ex.s. c 130 § 3.]