Title 47 — Title 47 PUBLIC HIGHWAYS AND TRANSPORTATION

Before establishing paths and trails, the following factors shall be considered:(1) Public safety;(2) The cost of such paths and trails as compared to the need or probable use;(3) Inclusion of the trail in a plan for a comprehensive trail system adopted by a city or county in a s…

(1) The amount expended by a city, town, or county as authorized by RCW 47.30.030 shall never in any one fiscal year be less than 0.42 percent of the total amount of funds received from the motor vehicle fund according to RCW 46.68.090. However, this section does not apply to a c…

For the purposes of this chapter, the establishment of paths and trails and the expenditure of funds as authorized by RCW 47.30.030, as now or hereafter amended, shall be deemed to be for highway, road, and street purposes. The department of transportation shall, when requested, …

For purposes of 43 U.S.C. 912 and related provisions of federal law involving federally granted railroad rights-of-way, a bicycle, equestrian or pedestrian path shall be deemed to be a public highway under the laws of the state of Washington.[ 1993 c 224 s 14.]

Whenever the department determines and orders that it is necessary for the convenience and safety of public travel and the use of (or construction, alteration, repair, improvement, or maintenance of) any state highway to have the full width of right-of-way of any such state highw…

Whenever the department determines that the right-of-way of any state highway or any portion of the right-of-way of any state highway shall be made free from any and all obstructions, encroachments, and occupancy it shall forthwith cause to be posted, by a competent person eighte…

In case the property or any portion thereof described in the notice is not removed from the right-of-way within ten days after the date of the posting, exclusive of the date of posting, all such property upon the right-of-way of the state highway or portion thereof becomes unlawf…

The complaint shall, in such action, describe the property unlawfully remaining upon the right-of-way of the state highway or portion thereof with reasonable certainty by reference to the certificate of the department, which shall be attached to and filed with the complaint, and …

Service of such complaint shall be given by publication of notice thereof once a week for two successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which such action is commenced, which notice shall briefly state the objects of the action and contain a brief des…

At the time and place appointed for hearing upon the complaint, which hearing shall be by summary proceedings, if the court or judge thereof finds that due notice has been given by posting and publication and that the order of the department was duly made, and is further satisfie…

Six days after filing of the order above provided for, if no review thereof be taken to the supreme court or the court of appeals of the state, the clerk of the court shall issue under seal of such court a writ directed to the sheriff of the county in which such court is held com…

At any time within ten days after the removal by virtue of such writ of any such property from the right-of-way of such state highway any person, firm, association or corporation claiming ownership or right of possession of any such property may have the right to demand and to re…

The sureties on such bond shall justify as in other cases if the sheriff requires it and in case they do not so justify when required, the sheriff shall retain and sell or dispose of the property; and if the sheriff does not require the sureties to justify, he or she shall stand …

If the claimant makes good the claimant's title to or right to possession of the property, upon payment into the registry of the court of the costs of service or posting of original notice issued by the department with respect to the property, the cost of posting notice of hearin…

It is unlawful for any person to build, erect, establish, operate, maintain, or conduct along and upon the right-of-way of any state highway any platform, box, stand, or any other temporary or permanent device or structure used or to be used for the purpose of receiving, vending,…

Except as provided in RCW 47.04.270, it is unlawful for any person to erect a structure or establishment or maintain a business, the nature of which requires the use by patrons or customers of property adjoining the structure or establishment unless the structure or establishment…

(1) Whenever there exists upon the right-of-way of any state highway or off the right-of-way thereof in sufficiently close proximity thereto, any structure, device, or natural or artificial thing that threatens or endangers the state highway or portion thereof, or that tends to e…

Each railroad company shall keep its right-of-way clear of all brush and timber in the vicinity of a railroad grade crossing with a state highway for a distance of one hundred feet from the crossing in such manner as to permit a person upon the highway to obtain an unobstructed v…

No person, firm, or corporation may be permitted to build or construct on state highway rights-of-way any approach road or any other facility, thing, or appurtenance not heretofore permitted by law, without first obtaining written permission from the department.[ 1984 c 7 s 185; …

The department is hereby authorized and empowered at its discretion to adopt reasonable rules governing the issuance of permits under RCW 47.32.150 for the construction of any approach road, facility, thing, or appurtenance, upon state highway rights-of-way. The rules shall be de…

Upon failure of the applicant to construct or maintain the particular approach road, facility, thing, or appurtenance in accordance with the conditions of the permit and in accordance with the rules of the department, the department may, after the expiration of thirty days follow…

The definitions set forth in this section apply throughout this chapter.(1) "Erect" means to construct, build, raise, assemble, place, affix, attach, create, paint, draw, or in any other way bring into being or establish.(2) "Interstate system" means a state highway that is or be…

The department shall fix permanent monuments at the original positions of all United States government monuments at township corners, section corners, quarter section corners, meander corners, and witness markers, as originally established by the United States government survey w…

The secretary of transportation shall adopt specifications for a uniform system of traffic control signals consistent with the provisions of this title for use upon public highways within this state. Such uniform system shall correlate with and so far as possible conform to the s…

The duration of a yellow change interval at any traffic control signal must be at least as long as the minimum yellow change interval identified in the manual of uniform traffic control devices for streets and highways as adopted by the department under this chapter.[ 2012 c 85 s…

(1) For the purposes of this section:(a) "Arterial" means a public road or highway that is designated or qualifies as a principal or minor arterial under a state or local law, ordinance, regulation, or plan.(b) "Bicycle" means a human-powered vehicle with metallic wheels at least…

(1) The secretary of transportation shall have the power and it shall be its duty to adopt and designate a uniform state standard for the manufacture, display, erection, and location of all signs, signals, signboards, guideposts, and other traffic devices erected or to be erected…

The department, upon written request, shall cause to be manufactured, painted, and printed, and shall furnish to any county legislative authority or the governing body of any incorporated city or town, directional signboards, guide boards, and posts of the uniform state standard …

The department shall erect and maintain upon every state highway in the state of Washington suitable and proper signs, signals, signboards, guideposts, and other traffic devices according to the adopted and designated state standard of design, erection, and location, and in the m…

The department shall place and maintain such traffic devices conforming to the manual and specifications adopted upon all state highways as it deems necessary to carry out the provisions of this title or to regulate, warn, or guide traffic.[ 1984 c 7 s 191; 1961 c 13 s 47.36.053.…

Local authorities in their respective jurisdictions shall place and maintain such traffic devices upon public highways under their jurisdiction as are necessary to carry out the provisions of the law or local traffic ordinances or to regulate, warn, or guide traffic. Cities and t…

Whenever any person, firm, corporation, municipal corporation, or local authorities responsible for the erection and maintenance, or either, of signs at any railroad crossing or point of danger upon any state highway fails, neglects, or refuses to erect and maintain, or either, t…

Wherever it is considered necessary or convenient the department may erect approach and warning signs upon the approach of any state highway to a highway-railroad grade crossing situated at a sufficient distance therefrom to make the warning effective. The department may further …

Standard federal road markers shall be placed on state highways in the manner requested by the department of transportation of the United States. The department of transportation of the state of Washington is authorized and empowered to cooperate with the several states and with …

The department is hereby authorized to establish a continuing system for the designating of state highways and branches or portions thereof, heretofore established by the legislature of the state of Washington, to give designations to such state highways and branches, or portions…

Designations or redesignations assigned under the system by the department pursuant to RCW 47.36.095 as each is made, shall be filed with the secretary of state and with the auditor of each county. Thereafter such highways shall be so designated for all purposes.[ 1984 c 7 s 197;…

Directional signs showing distance and direction to points of importance may be placed at all crossings and intersections of primary and secondary state highways. The department may place such directional signs as it deems necessary upon any city streets designated by it as formi…

In order to provide safety at intersections on the state highway system, the department may require persons traveling upon any portion of such highway to stop before entering the intersection, except as provided in RCW 46.61.190. For this purpose there may be erected a standard s…

The department shall erect wherever it deems necessary upon state highways at or near their point of entrance into cities and towns, signs of the standard design designating the city or town limits of the cities or towns.[ 1984 c 7 s 200; 1961 c 13 s 47.36.120. Prior: 1937 c 53 s…

No person shall without lawful authority attempt to or in fact alter, deface, injure, knock down, or remove any official traffic control signal, traffic device or railroad sign or signal, or any inscription, shield, or insignia thereon, or any other part thereof.[ 1961 c 13 s 47.…

(1) Local transit authority bus shelters within the right-of-way of the state highway system may display and maintain commercial advertisements subject to applicable federal regulations, if any. Pursuant to RCW 47.12.120, the department may lease state right-of-way air space to l…

(1) It is unlawful to erect or maintain at or near a city street, county road, or state highway any structure, sign, or device:(a) Visible from a city street, county road, or state highway and simulating any directional, warning, or danger sign or light likely to be mistaken for …

(1) When construction, repair, or maintenance work is conducted on or adjacent to a public highway, county road, street, bridge, or other thoroughfare commonly traveled and when the work interferes with the normal and established mode of travel on the highway, county road, street…

(1) If the department or its delegate determines at any time for any part of the public highway system that the unsafe conditions of the roadway require particular tires, tire chains, or traction equipment in addition to or beyond the ordinary pneumatic rubber tires, the departme…

The department shall erect signs on multilane highways indicating proper lane usage.[ 1986 c 93 s 6.]Notes:Keep right except when passing, etc: RCW 46.61.100.

Regional shopping center directional signs shall be erected and maintained on state highway right-of-way if they meet each of the following criteria:(1) There shall be at least five hundred thousand square feet of retail floor space available for lease at the regional shopping ce…

The department of transportation shall, by January 1, 1992, adopt minimum pavement marking standards for the area designating the limits of the vehicle driving lane along the right edge for arterials that do not have curbs or sidewalks and are inside urbanized areas. In preparing…

Directional signs for state parks within fifteen miles of an interstate highway shall be erected and maintained on the interstate highway by the department despite the existence of additional directional signs on primary or scenic system highways in closer proximity to such state…

(1) The legislative authority of any county, city, or town may erect, or permit the erection of, supplemental directional signs directing motorists to motorist service businesses qualified for motorist information sign panels pursuant to RCW 47.36.310 or 47.36.320 in any location…

The department is authorized to erect and maintain motorist information sign panels within the right-of-way of the interstate highway system to give the traveling public specific information as to gas, food, lodging, camping, or tourist-oriented business available on a crossroad …