Emergency tolling suspension

AN ACT Relating to the suspension of tolling on certain 1
facilities in the event of an emergency; amending RCW 47.56.030; and 2
providing an effective date. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
Sec. 1. RCW 47.56.030 and 2025 c 417 s 1220 are each amended to 5
read as follows: 6
(1) Except as permitted under chapter 47.47 or 47.46 RCW:7
(a)(i) Unless otherwise delegated, and subject to RCW 47.56.820, 8
the department of transportation shall have full charge of the 9
planning, analysis, and construction of all toll bridges and other 10
toll facilities including the Washington state ferries, and the 11
operation and maintenance thereof. 12
(ii) The department of transportation shall immediately suspend 13
the imposition of any tolls on a facility that could be reasonably 14
construed to be an evacuation route, in the event of an emergency. 15
Such suspension must continue until the department of transportation 16
determines the suspension is no longer necessary to facilitate an 17
evacuation.18
(b) The transportation commission shall determine and establish 19
the tolls and charges thereon. 20
H-2817.2
HOUSE BILL 2379
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Representatives Low, Keaton, Ramel, Thomas, Paul, and Graham
Prefiled 01/09/26. Read first time 01/12/26. Referred to Committee
on Transportation.
p. 1 HB 2379
(c) Unless otherwise delegated, and subject to RCW 47.56.820, the 1
department shall have full charge of planning, analysis, and design 2
of all toll facilities. The department may conduct the planning, 3
analysis, and design of toll facilities as necessary to support the 4
legislature's consideration of toll authorization. 5
(d) The department shall utilize and administer toll collection 6
systems that are simple, unified, and interoperable. To the extent 7
practicable, the department shall avoid the use of toll booths. The 8
department shall set the statewide standards and protocols for all 9
toll facilities within the state, including those authorized by local 10
authorities. 11
(e) Except as provided in this section, the department shall 12
proceed with the construction of such toll bridges and other 13
facilities and the approaches thereto by contract in the manner of 14
state highway construction immediately upon there being made 15
available funds for such work and shall prosecute such work to 16
completion as rapidly as practicable. The department is authorized to 17
negotiate contracts for any amount without bid under (e)(i) and (ii) 18
of this subsection: 19
(i) Emergency contracts, in order to make repairs to ferries or 20
ferry terminal facilities or removal of such facilities whenever 21
continued use of ferries or ferry terminal facilities constitutes a 22
real or immediate danger to the traveling public or precludes prudent 23
use of such ferries or facilities; and 24
(ii) Single source contracts for vessel dry dockings, when there 25
is clearly and legitimately only one available bidder to conduct dry 26
dock-related work for a specific class or classes of vessels. The 27
contracts may be entered into for a single vessel dry docking or for 28
multiple vessel dry dockings for a period not to exceed two years.29
(f) Any new vessel planning, construction, purchase, analysis, or 30
design work must be consistent with RCW 47.60.810, except as 31
otherwise provided in RCW 47.60.826. 32
(2) The department shall proceed with the procurement of 33
materials, supplies, services, and equipment needed for the support, 34
maintenance, and use of a ferry, ferry terminal, or other facility 35
operated by Washington state ferries, in accordance with chapter 36
43.19 RCW except as follows: 37
(a) When the secretary of the department of transportation 38
determines in writing that the use of invitation for bid is either 39
not practicable or not advantageous to the state and it may be 40
p. 2 HB 2379
necessary to make competitive evaluations, including technical or 1
performance evaluations among acceptable proposals to complete the 2
contract award, a contract may be entered into by use of a 3
competitive sealed proposals method, and a formal request for 4
proposals solicitation. Such formal request for proposals 5
solicitation shall include a functional description of the needs and 6
requirements of the state and the significant factors.7
(b) When purchases are made through a formal request for 8
proposals solicitation the contract shall be awarded to the 9
responsible proposer whose competitive sealed proposal is determined 10
in writing to be the most advantageous to the state taking into 11
consideration price and other evaluation factors set forth in the 12
request for proposals. No significant factors may be used in 13
evaluating a proposal that are not specified in the request for 14
proposals. Factors that may be considered in evaluating proposals 15
include but are not limited to: Price; maintainability; reliability; 16
commonality; performance levels; life-cycle cost if applicable under 17
this section; cost of transportation or delivery; delivery schedule 18
offered; installation cost; cost of spare parts; availability of 19
parts and service offered; and the following: 20
(i) The ability, capacity, and skill of the proposer to perform 21
the contract or provide the service required; 22
(ii) The character, integrity, reputation, judgment, experience, 23
and efficiency of the proposer; 24
(iii) Whether the proposer can perform the contract within the 25
time specified; 26
(iv) The quality of performance of previous contracts or 27
services; 28
(v) The previous and existing compliance by the proposer with 29
laws relating to the contract or services; 30
(vi) Objective, measurable criteria defined in the request for 31
proposal. These criteria may include , but are not limited to , items 32
such as discounts, delivery costs, maintenance services costs, 33
installation costs, and transportation costs; and 34
(vii) Such other information as may be secured having a bearing 35
on the decision to award the contract. 36
(c) When purchases are made through a request for proposal 37
process, proposals received shall be evaluated based on the 38
evaluation factors set forth in the request for proposal. When 39
issuing a request for proposal for the procurement of propulsion 40
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equipment or systems that include an engine, the request for proposal 1
must specify the use of a life-cycle cost analysis that includes an 2
evaluation of fuel efficiency. When a life-cycle cost analysis is 3
used, the life-cycle cost of a proposal shall be given at least the 4
same relative importance as the initial price element specified in 5
the request of proposal documents. The department may reject any and 6
all proposals received. If the proposals are not rejected, the award 7
shall be made to the proposer whose proposal is most advantageous to 8
the department, considering price and the other evaluation factors 9
set forth in the request for proposal. 10
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. This act takes effect October 1, 2026.11
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