Title 47 — Title 47 PUBLIC HIGHWAYS AND TRANSPORTATION
45 chapters · 1,269 sections in this title.
RCW 47.52.001 Declaration of policy.
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(1) Unrestricted access to and from public highways has resulted in congestion and peril for the traveler. It has caused undue slowing of all traffic in many areas. The investment of the public in highway facilities has been impaired and highway facilities costing vast sums of mo…
RCW 47.52.010 "Limited access facility" defined.
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For the purposes of this chapter, a "limited access facility" is defined as a highway or street especially designed or designated for through traffic, and over, from, or to which owners or occupants of abutting land, or other persons, have no right or easement, or only a limited …
RCW 47.52.011 "Existing highway" defined.
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For the purposes of this chapter, the term "existing highway" shall include all highways, roads and streets duly established, constructed, and in use. It shall not include new highways, roads or streets, or relocated highways, roads or streets, or portions of existing highways, r…
RCW 47.52.020 Powers of highway authorities—State facility, county road crossings.
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The highway authorities of the state, counties, and incorporated cities and towns, acting alone or in cooperation with each other, or with any federal, state, or local agency, or any other state having authority to participate in the construction and maintenance of highways, may …
RCW 47.52.025 Additional powers—Controlling use of limited access facilities—High occupancy vehicle lanes—Definition.
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*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 1980-S.SL) ***(1) Highway authorities of the state, counties, and incorporated cities and towns, in addition to the specific powers granted in this chapter, shall also have, and may exercise, relative to limited access facilities, any and all additiona…
RCW 47.52.026 Rules—Control of vehicles entering—Ramp closure, metering, or restrictions—Notice.
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(1) The department may adopt rules for the control of vehicles entering any state limited access highway as it deems necessary (a) for the efficient or safe flow of traffic traveling upon any part of the highway or connections with it or (b) to avoid exceeding federal, state, or …
RCW 47.52.027 Standards and rules for interstate and defense highways—Construction, maintenance, access.
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The secretary of transportation may adopt design standards, rules, and regulations relating to construction, maintenance, and control of access of the national system of interstate and defense highways within this state as it deems advisable to properly control access thereto, to…
RCW 47.52.040 Design—Entrance and exit restricted—Closure of intersecting roads.
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The highway authorities of the state, counties and incorporated cities and towns may so design any limited access facility and so regulate, restrict, or prohibit access as to best serve the traffic for which such facility is intended; and the determination of design by such autho…
RCW 47.52.041 Closure of intersecting roads—Rights of abutters.
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No person, firm or corporation, private or municipal, shall have any claim against the state, city or county by reason of the closing of such streets, roads or highways as long as access still exists or is provided to such property abutting upon the closed streets, roads or highw…
RCW 47.52.042 Closure of intersecting roads—Other provisions not affected.
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RCW 47.52.040 and 47.52.041 shall not be construed to affect provisions for establishment, notice, hearing and court review of any decision establishing a limited access facility on an existing highway pursuant to chapter 47.52 RCW.[ 1961 c 13 s 47.52.042. Prior: 1955 c 75 s 3.]
RCW 47.52.050 Acquisition of property.
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(1) For the purpose of this chapter the highway authorities of the state, counties and incorporated cities and towns, respectively, or in cooperation one with the other, may acquire private or public property and property rights for limited access facilities and service roads, in…
RCW 47.52.060 Court process expedited.
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Court proceedings necessary to acquire property or property rights for purposes of this chapter shall take precedence over all other causes not involving the public interest in all courts to the end that the provision for limited access facilities may be expedited.[ 1961 c 13 s 4…
RCW 47.52.070 Establishment of facility—Grade separation—Service roads.
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The designation or establishment of a limited access facility shall, by the authority making the designation or establishment, be entered upon the records or minutes of such authority in the customary manner for the keeping of such records or minutes. The state, counties and inco…
RCW 47.52.080 Abutter's right of access protected—Compensation.
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No existing public highway, road, or street shall be constructed as a limited access facility except upon the waiver, purchase, or condemnation of the abutting owner's right of access thereto as herein provided. In cases involving existing highways, if the abutting property is us…
RCW 47.52.090 Cooperative agreements—Urban public transportation systems—Title to highway—Traffic regulations—Underground utilities and overcrossings—Passenger transportation—Storm sewers—City street crossings.
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The highway authorities of the state, counties, incorporated cities and towns, and municipal corporations owning or operating an urban public transportation system are authorized to enter into agreements with each other, or with the federal government, respecting the financing, p…
RCW 47.52.100 Existing roads and streets as service roads.
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In connection with the development of any limited access facility the state, county or incorporated city or town highway authorities are authorized to plan, designate, establish, use, regulate, alter, improve, construct, maintain and vacate local service roads and streets, or to …
RCW 47.52.105 Acquisition and construction to preserve limited access or reduce required compensation.
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Whenever, in the opinion of the department, frontage or service roads in connection with limited access facilities are not feasible either from an engineering or economic standpoint, the department may acquire private or public property by purchase or condemnation and construct a…
RCW 47.52.110 Marking of facility with signs.
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After the opening of any new and additional limited access highway facility, or after the designation and establishment of any existing street or highway, as included the particular highways and streets or those portions thereof designated and established, shall be physically mar…
RCW 47.52.120 Violations specified—Exceptions—Penalty.
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(1) After the opening of any limited access highway facility, it shall be unlawful for any person to: (a) Drive a vehicle over, upon, or across any curb, central dividing section, or other separation or dividing line on limited access facilities; (b) make a left turn or semicircu…
RCW 47.52.121 Prior determinations validated.
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Any determinations of an authority establishing a limited access facility subsequent to March 19, 1947, and prior to March 16, 1951, in connection with new highways, roads or streets, or relocated highways, roads or streets, or portions of existing highways, roads or streets whic…
RCW 47.52.131 Consideration of local conditions—Report to local authorities—Conferences—Proposed plan.
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When the department is planning a limited access facility through a county or an incorporated city or town, the department or its staff, before any hearing, shall give careful consideration to available data as to the county or city's comprehensive plan, land use pattern, present…
RCW 47.52.133 Local public hearing—Notice.
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Except as provided in RCW 47.52.134, the department and the highway authorities of the counties and incorporated cities and towns, with regard to facilities under their respective jurisdictions, prior to the establishment of any limited access facility, shall hold a public hearin…
RCW 47.52.134 When access reports and hearings not required.
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Access reports and hearings on the establishment of limited access facilities are not required if:(1) The limited access facility would lie wholly within state or federal lands and the agency or agencies with jurisdiction of the land agree to the access plan; or(2) The access rig…
RCW 47.52.135 Hearing procedure.
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At the hearing any representative of the county, city or town, or any other person may appear and be heard even though such official or person is not an abutting property owner. Such hearing may, at the option of the highway authority, be conducted in accordance with federal laws…
RCW 47.52.137 Adoption of plan—Service of findings and order—Publication of resume—Finality—Review.
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Following the conclusion of such hearing the authority shall adopt a plan with such modifications, if any, it deems proper and necessary. Its findings and order shall be in writing and copies thereof shall be served by United States mail upon all persons having entered a written …
RCW 47.52.139 Local approval of plan—Disapproval, request for review.
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Upon receipt of the findings and order adopting a plan, the county, city, or town may notify the department of transportation of its approval of such plan in writing, in which event such plan shall be final.In the event that a county, city, or town does not approve the plan, the …
RCW 47.52.145 Modification of adopted plan without further public hearings—Conditions.
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Whenever after the final adoption of a plan for a limited access highway by the department, an additional design public hearing with respect to the facility or any portion thereof is conducted pursuant to federal law resulting in a revision of the design of the limited access pla…
RCW 47.52.150 State facility through city or town—Board of review, composition and appointment.
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Upon request for a hearing before the board by any county, city, or town, a board consisting of five members shall be appointed as follows: The mayor or the county commissioners, as the case may be shall appoint two members of the board, of which one shall be a duly elected offic…
RCW 47.52.160 State facility through city or town—Hearing—Notice—Evidence—Determination of issues.
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The board shall fix a reasonable time not more than thirty days after the date of its appointment and shall indicate the time and place for the hearing, and shall give notice to the county, city, or town and to the department. At the time and place fixed for the hearing, the stat…
RCW 47.52.170 State facility through city or town—Hearing—Procedure.
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No witness's testimony shall be received unless he or she shall have been duly sworn, and the board may cause all oral testimony to be stenographically reported. Members of the board, its duly authorized representatives, and all persons duly commissioned by it for the purpose of …
RCW 47.52.180 State facility through city or town—Hearing—Findings of board—Modification of proposed plan by stipulation.
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At the conclusion of such hearing, the board shall consider the evidence taken and shall make specific findings with respect to the objections and issues within thirty days after the hearing, which findings shall approve, disapprove, or modify the proposed plan of the department …
RCW 47.52.190 State facility through city or town—Hearing—Assistants—Costs—Reporter.
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The board shall employ such assistance and clerical help as is necessary to perform its duties. The costs thereby incurred and incident to the conduct of the hearing, necessary expenses, and fees, if any, of members of the board shall be borne equally by the county, city, or town…
RCW 47.52.195 Review and appeal on petition of abutter.
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An abutting property owner may petition for review in the superior court of the state of Washington in the county where the limited access facility is to be located. Such review and any appeal therefrom shall be considered and determined by said court upon the record of the autho…
RCW 47.52.200 Law enforcement jurisdiction within city or town.
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Whenever any limited access highway facility passes within or through any incorporated city or town the municipal police officers of such city or town, the sheriff of the county wherein such city or town is situated and officers of the Washington state patrol shall have independe…
RCW 47.52.210 Property title designation upon construction of limited access highways.
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(1) Whenever the department adopts a plan for a limited access highway to be constructed within the corporate limits of a city or town which incorporates existing city or town streets, title to such streets shall remain in the city or town, and the provisions of RCW 47.24.020 as …
RCW 47.52.220 Personal wireless service facilities—Approach permit—Report.
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(1) The department shall authorize an off and on approach to partially controlled limited access highways for the placement and service of facilities providing personal wireless services.(a) The approach shall be in a legal manner not to exceed thirty feet in width.(b) The approa…