Adopt-a-highway program

AN ACT Relating to modernizing the adopt-a-highway program to 1
improve its ability to meet its original purpose within existing 2
fiscal limitations; amending RCW 47.40.100 and 47.36.400; adding a 3
new section to chapter 47.40 RCW; creating a new section; and 4
providing an effective date. 5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:6
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature recognizes that the 7
state's adopt-a-highway program has enabled individuals and groups to 8
participate in keeping the state's highways clean and that the 9
program has been successful for over 30 years in helping to reduce 10
litter in Washington. The legislature further finds that the program 11
requires a modernization to ensure the original purpose of providing 12
volunteers and businesses an opportunity to contribute to a cleaner 13
environment, enhanced roadsides, and protection of wildlife habitats 14
is fulfilled.15
(2) The legislature further finds that transportation funding 16
resources are limited and the needs are great. Therefore, the 17
legislature intends to add additional accountability to the program 18
and ensure that the department of transportation's limited resources 19
can be directed to areas with the greatest need. 20
S-0732.2
SENATE BILL 5556
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Senators Ramos, Lovick, Valdez, Lovelett, Shewmake, Chapman,
Trudeau, Nobles, and C. Wilson
Read first time 01/28/25. Referred to Committee on Transportation.
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(3) To that end, the legislature intends to (a) prioritize 1
funding for the program in alignment with priorities for the 2
transportation system as a whole, and (b) ensure that volunteers and 3
businesses are committed to the goals of the program and are provided 4
the opportunity to participate, to the extent funds are available.5
Sec. 2. RCW 47.40.100 and 2019 c 353 s 11 are each amended to 6
read as follows: 7
(1)(a) ((The)) Subject to the availability of amounts 8
appropriated for this specific purpose in an omnibus transportation 9
appropriations act, the department of transportation shall establish 10
a statewide adopt-a-highway program. The purpose of the program is to 11
provide volunteers and businesses an opportunity to contribute to a 12
cleaner environment, enhanced roadsides, and protection of wildlife 13
habitats. Participating volunteers and businesses shall adopt 14
department-designated sections of state highways, rest areas, park 15
and ride lots, intermodal facilities, and any other facilities the 16
department deems appropriate, in accordance with rules adopted by the 17
department. The department may elect to coordinate a consortium of 18
participants for adopt-a-highway projects. 19
(b) The adopt-a-highway program shall include, at a minimum, 20
litter control for the adopted section, and may include additional 21
responsibilities such as planting and maintaining vegetation, 22
controlling weeds, graffiti removal, and any other roadside 23
improvement or clean-up activities the department deems appropriate. 24
Whenever possible, when planting and maintaining vegetation, 25
volunteers and businesses should use native forage plants that are 26
pollen-rich or nectar-rich and beneficial for all pollinators, 27
including honey bees, in order to develop habitat beneficial for the 28
feeding, nesting, and reproduction of pollinators. The department 29
shall not accept adopt-a-highway proposals that would have the effect 30
of terminating classified employees or classified employee positions.31
(2) A volunteer group or business choosing to participate in the 32
adopt-a-highway program must submit a proposal to the department. The 33
department shall review the proposal for consistency with 34
departmental policy and rules. The department may accept, reject, or 35
modify an applicant's proposal. 36
(3) The department shall seek partnerships with volunteer groups 37
and businesses to facilitate the goals of this section. The 38
department may solicit funding for the adopt-a-highway program that 39
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allows private entities to undertake all or a portion of financing 1
for the initiatives. The department shall develop guidelines 2
regarding the cash, labor, and in-kind contributions to be performed 3
by the participants. 4
(4) An organization whose name: (a) Endorses or opposes a 5
particular candidate for public office, (b) advocates a position on a 6
specific political issue, initiative, referendum, or piece of 7
legislation, or (c) includes a reference to a political party shall 8
not be eligible to participate in the adopt-a-highway program.9
(5) In administering the adopt-a-highway program, the department 10
shall: 11
(a) Provide a standardized application form, registration form, 12
and contractual agreement for all participating groups. The forms 13
shall notify the prospective participants of the risks and 14
responsibilities to be assumed by the department and the 15
participants; 16
(b) Require all participants to be at least fifteen years of age;17
(c) Require parental consent for all minors; 18
(d) Require at least one adult supervisor for every eight minors;19
(e) Require one designated leader for each participating 20
organization, unless the department chooses to coordinate a 21
consortium of participants; 22
(f) Assign each participating organization a section or sections 23
of state highway, or other state-owned transportation facilities, for 24
a specified period of time; 25
(g) ((Recognize)) Subject to the availability of amounts 26
appropriated for this specific purpose in an omnibus transportation 27
appropriations act, recognize the efforts of a participating 28
organization by erecting and maintaining signs with the 29
organization's name on both ends of the organization's section of 30
highway; 31
(h) Provide appropriate safety equipment. Safety equipment issued 32
to participating groups must be returned to the department upon 33
termination of the applicable adopt-a-highway agreement;34
(i) Provide safety training for all participants;35
(j) Pay any and all premiums or assessments required under RCW 36
51.12.035 to secure medical aid benefits under chapter 51.36 RCW for 37
all volunteers participating in the program; 38
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(k) Require participating businesses to pay all employer premiums 1
or assessments required to secure medical aid benefits under chapter 2
51.36 RCW for all employees or agents participating in the program;3
(l) Maintain records of all injuries and accidents that occur;4
(m) Adopt rules that establish a process to resolve any question 5
of an organization's eligibility to participate in the adopt-a-6
highway program; 7
(n) Obtain permission from property owners who lease right-of-way 8
before allowing an organization to adopt a section of highway on such 9
leased property; and 10
(o) Establish procedures and guidelines for the adopt-a-highway 11
program. 12
(6) Nothing in this section affects the rights or activities of, 13
or agreements with, adjacent landowners, including the use of rights-14
of-way and crossings, nor impairs these rights and uses by the 15
placement of signs. 16
(7) The department shall submit annually by December 1st to the 17
transportation committees of the legislature and the office of 18
financial management a list in excel or similar electronic format 19
that includes: (a) Each participating organization; (b) whether the 20
participant partners with a paid contractor or acts solely as a 21
volunteer; (c) the location of each highway section adopted; (d) 22
whether the participant has met the obligations of its contractual 23
agreement during the last year; and (e) any contextual information 24
the department deems relevant.25
Sec. 3. RCW 47.36.400 and 1998 c 180 s 1 are each amended to 26
read as follows: 27
((The)) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for 28
this specific purpose in an omnibus transportation appropriations 29
act, the department may install adopt-a-highway signs, with the 30
following restrictions: 31
(1) Signs shall be designed by the department and may only 32
include the words "adopt-a-highway litter control facility" or 33
"adopt-a-highway litter control next XX miles" and the name of the 34
litter control area sponsor. The sponsor's name shall not be 35
displayed more predominantly than the remainder of the sign message. 36
Trademarks or business logos may be displayed; 37
(2) Signs may be placed along interstate, primary, and scenic 38
system highways; 39
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(3) Signs may be erected at other state-owned transportation 1
facilities in accordance with RCW 47.40.100(1); 2
(4) For each litter control area designated by the department, 3
one sign may be placed visible to traffic approaching from each 4
direction; 5
(5) Signs shall be located so as not to detract from official 6
traffic control signs installed pursuant to the manual on uniform 7
traffic control devices adopted by the department; 8
(6) Signs shall be located so as not to restrict sight distance 9
on approaches to intersections or interchanges; 10
(7) The department may charge reasonable fees to defray the cost 11
of manufacture, installation, and maintenance of adopt-a-highway 12
signs. 13
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. A new section is added to chapter 47.40 14
RCW to read as follows: 15
By December 1, 2025, the department shall report to the 16
transportation committees of the legislature and the office of 17
financial management with a list in excel or similar electronic 18
format that includes the following information for each current 19
participant in the adopt-a-highway program established in RCW 20
47.40.100: 21
(1) Name of the participating volunteer group or sponsor;22
(2) Whether the participant partners with a paid contractor or 23
acts solely as a volunteer; 24
(3) The location of each highway section adopted;25
(4) The participant's record of compliance with the obligations 26
of its contractual agreement since becoming a program participant; 27
and 28
(5) Any contextual information the department deems relevant.29
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. If any provision of this act or its 30
application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the 31
remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other 32
persons or circumstances is not affected.33
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. Sections 2 and 3 of this act take effect 34
July 1, 2026.35
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