Title 47, PUBLIC HIGHWAYS AND TRANSPORTATION

(1) The commission may remove the designation of a route if it no longer possesses the intrinsic qualities or fails to meet the criteria that supported its designation. (2) The department shall determine whether a roadway designated as a national scenic byway or an All-American R…

RCW 47.39.010 through 47.39.910 shall constitute a new chapter in Title 47 RCW and shall be known and may be cited as the "Scenic and Recreational Highway Act of 1967." [ 1967 ex.s. c 85 s 7.]

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. [ 1967 ex.s. c 85 s 8.]

The planting and cultivating of any shrubs, trees, hedges or other domestic or native ornamental growth, the improvement of roadside facilities and view points, and the correction of unsightly conditions, upon the right-of-way of any state highway is hereby declared to be a prope…

Whenever funds are available for the planting or cultivation of any shrubs, trees, hedges, or other domestic or native ornamental growth, the improvement of roadside facilities and view points, the correction of unsightly conditions upon the right-of-way of any state highway, and…

Any person, firm, corporation, association, or organization owning lands abutting upon any state highway and desiring to plant, cultivate, and grow any hedge, shade trees, or ornamental trees or shrubs along the right-of-way thereof, or to clear and cultivate a portion of the sta…

Each application for a permit to plant, cultivate and grow any hedge, shade or ornamental trees or shrubbery along or upon the right-of-way of any state highway or improve such right-of-way shall be in writing, signed by the applicant, and shall describe the state highway or port…

Upon the filing of such application, the department shall cause a survey of the state highway to be made with reference to the application and a report of the findings and recommendations as to the granting of the permit, and if it appears to the satisfaction of the department th…

If any such permit is granted, the department shall enter into an agreement with the person, firm, corporation, association, or organization agreeing that such roadside development or beautification shall be maintained and kept up by the state through the department or by the per…

It is unlawful for any person to injure, destroy, or remove any hedge, shade or ornamental trees, shrubbery, or crops, planted, cultivated, and grown or improvement made upon or along any portion of any state highway under permit from the department or otherwise, or to injure, de…

Any person who shall break or cut from any lands owned by the state of Washington or shall cut down, remove, destroy or uproot any rhododendron, evergreen, huckleberry, native dogwood or any other native tree, shrub, fern, herb, bulb or wild plants, or any part thereof, within th…

The department and any other governmental subdivision shall, with the staff, equipment, and material under their control, or by contract with others, take all necessary actions to collect and remove any or all glass bottles or glass containers along the right-of-way of any public…

(1)(a) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose in an omnibus transportation appropriations act, the department of transportation shall establish a statewide adopt-a-highway program. The purpose of the program is to provide volunteers and busi…

Local government legislative authorities may enact local "adopt-a-highway sign" and "adopt-a-fish passage" programs which are not inconsistent with state or federal law. [ 2024 c 227 s 3; 1990 c 258 s 3.] Notes: Findings—Intent—2024 c 227: See note following RCW 77.95.350. Legisl…

The department may participate in an "adopt-a-fish passage" program under RCW 77.95.350. [ 2024 c 227 s 4.] Notes: Findings—Intent—2024 c 227: See note following RCW 77.95.350.

By December 1, 2025, the department shall report to the transportation committees of the legislature and the office of financial management with a list in excel or similar electronic format that includes the following information for each current participant in the adopt-a-highwa…

For the purpose of promoting the public safety, health, welfare, convenience, and enjoyment of public travel, to protect the public investment in public highways, and to preserve and enhance the scenic beauty of lands bordering public highways, it is hereby declared to be in the …

The definitions set forth in this section apply throughout this chapter. (1) "Junk" means old or scrap copper, brass, rope, rags, batteries, paper, trash, rubber debris, waste, or junked, dismantled, or wrecked automobiles, or parts thereof, iron, steel, and other old or scrap fe…

No person may establish, operate, or maintain a junkyard any portion of which is within one thousand feet of the nearest edge of the right-of-way of any interstate or federal-aid primary highway, except the following: (1) Those which are screened by natural objects, plantings, fe…

Before July 1, 1971, the department shall determine whether or not the topography of the land adjoining the highway will permit adequate screening of any junkyard lawfully in existence located outside of a zoned industrial area or an unzoned industrial area as defined under RCW 4…

The department shall adopt rules for the administration of this chapter consistent with the policy of this chapter and the national policy set forth in 23 U.S.C. Sec. 136, and the regulations promulgated thereunder by the United States secretary of transportation. Proceedings for…

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to permit a person to maintain any junkyard that is otherwise prohibited by statute or by the resolution or ordinance of any county, city, or town, nor to abrogate or affect the lawful provisions of any statute, ordinance, regulation, or…

(1) If the owner of the land upon which any such junkyard is located, or the operator thereof, as the case may be, fails to comply with the notice or remove any such junk within the time provided in this chapter after being so notified, he or she is guilty of a misdemeanor. In ad…

The department is authorized to enter into agreements with the United States secretary of transportation as provided in Title 23 United States Code, relating to the control of junkyards in areas adjacent to the interstate and primary systems, and to take action in the name of the…

The control of signs in areas adjacent to state highways of this state is hereby declared to be necessary to promote the public health, safety, welfare, convenience and enjoyment of public travel, to protect the public investment in the interstate system and other state highways,…

The definitions set forth in this section apply throughout this chapter. (1) "Commercial and industrial areas" means any area zoned commercial or industrial by a county or municipal code, or if unzoned or zoned for general uses by a county or municipal code, that area occupied by…

The following sections of the scenic and recreational highway system are excluded from the scenic system as defined in subsection (7) of *RCW 47.42.020: (1) Beginning on state route number 101 at the junction with Airport Road north of Shelton, thence north to a point two thousan…

Except as permitted under this chapter, no person shall erect or maintain a sign which is visible from the main traveled way of the interstate system, the primary system, or the scenic system. In case a highway or a section of highway is both a part of the primary system and the …

It is declared to be the policy of the state that no signs which are visible from the main traveled way of the interstate system, primary system, or scenic system shall be erected or maintained except the following types: (1) Directional or other official signs or notices that ar…

(1) Not more than one type 3 sign visible to traffic proceeding in any one direction on an interstate system, primary system outside an incorporated city or town or commercial or industrial area, or scenic system highway may be permitted more than fifty feet from the advertised a…

Information signs may be erected and maintained by the state, any county, city, or town. [ 1961 c 96 s 5.]

The department is authorized to erect roadside area information panels or displays adjacent to the state highway system within this state. The department may contract with private persons for the erection and operation of the information panels or displays. Compensation to the co…

The department shall adopt rules for the erection and maintenance of signs that are visible from the main traveled way of the interstate system and the scenic system and that are permitted by this chapter and other rules for the administration of this chapter consistent with the …

Signs within six hundred and sixty feet of the nearest edge of the right-of-way which are visible from the main traveled way of the primary system within commercial and industrial areas and whose size, lighting, and spacing are consistent with the customary use of property for th…

(1) Signs within six hundred and sixty feet of the nearest edge of the right-of-way lawfully erected and maintained which are visible from the main traveled way of the primary system within commercial and industrial areas on June 1, 1971 shall be permitted to remain and be mainta…

Notwithstanding any other provision of chapter 47.42 RCW, signs may be erected and maintained more than six hundred and sixty feet from the nearest edge of the right-of-way which are visible from the main traveled way of the interstate system, primary system, or scenic system whe…

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to permit a person to erect or maintain any sign that is otherwise prohibited by statute or by the resolution or ordinance of any county, city, or town of the state of Washington. [ 1961 c 96 s 7.]

(1) Any sign erected or maintained contrary to the provisions of this chapter or rules adopted hereunder that is designed to be viewed from the interstate system, the primary system, or the scenic system is a public nuisance, and the department, the chief of the Washington state …

If any person is convicted of a violation of this chapter, or any rule adopted hereunder, the department may revoke any permit issued to that person under this chapter. [ 1984 c 7 s 228; 1961 c 96 s 9.]

(1) No sign lawfully erected in a protected area as defined by section 2, chapter 96, Laws of 1961 (before the amendment thereof), prior to March 11, 1961, within a commercial or industrial zone within the boundaries of any city or town, as such boundaries existed on September 21…

(1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (3) of this section, just compensation shall be paid upon the removal of any sign (pursuant to the provisions of chapter 47.42 RCW), lawfully erected under state law, which is visible from the main traveled way of the interstate syst…

(1) Compensation as required by RCW 47.42.102 shall be paid to the person or persons entitled thereto for the removal of such signs. If no agreement is reached on the amount of compensation to be paid, the department may institute an action by summons and complaint in the superio…

The department may accept any allotment of funds by the United States, or any agency thereof, appropriated to carry out the purposes of section 131 of title 23, United States Code, as now or hereafter amended. The department shall take such steps as may be necessary from time to …

No sign, display, or device shall be required to be removed if the federal share of the just compensation to be paid upon the removal of such sign, display, or device is not available to make such payment. [ 1971 ex.s. c 62 s 15.]

(1) Just compensation shall be paid upon the removal of any existing sign pursuant to the provisions of any resolution or ordinance of any county, city, or town of the state of Washington by such county, city, or town if: (a) Such sign was lawfully in existence on May 10, 1971 (t…

The department is authorized to enter into agreements (and such supplementary agreements as may be necessary) consistent with this chapter, with the secretary of commerce or the secretary of transportation authorized under section 131(b) of title 23, United States Code, as codifi…