SHB 2379
In CommitteeHouse
Emergency tolling suspension
Providing for the suspension of tolling on certain facilities in the event of an emergency.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This bill requires the Washington State Department of Transportation to suspend tolls on evacuation routes during emergencies, such as natural disasters, to help speed up evacuations. It also updates procurement rules to allow faster contracting for ferry and facility needs, and strengthens requirements for evaluating vendor proposals using life-cycle costs.
- Requires the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to immediately suspend tolls on any facility (including ferries or bridges) that could be reasonably considered an evacuation route during an emergency.
- Suspension continues until WSDOT determines it is no longer necessary to support evacuation efforts.
- Clarifies that WSDOT retains authority over planning, construction, and operation of toll facilities, and must use unified, interoperable toll systems without toll booths where practicable.
- Expands WSDOT’s ability to use competitive sealed proposals (instead of formal bidding) for certain procurement contracts—including for ferries and ferry facilities—when formal bidding is not practicable or advantageous.
- Requires life-cycle cost analysis (including fuel efficiency) for procurement of propulsion equipment or systems, and mandates that life-cycle cost be weighed at least as heavily as initial price in evaluations.
Who is affected
- General public / commuters — Residents and commuters who rely on toll facilities (like bridges or ferries) during emergencies—such as wildfires, floods, or other disasters—may have tolls suspended to help speed up evacuations.
- Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) — May need to adjust operations and communications during emergencies to suspend tolling when evacuation routes are at risk, and ensure toll systems can be quickly deactivated.
- Washington State Ferries — May benefit from faster evacuations during emergencies, but also rely on toll revenue for infrastructure maintenance—though this bill only affects toll suspension during emergencies, not long-term funding.
- State contractors and vendors — Vendors and contractors who supply goods or services to WSDOT or ferries may be affected by changes to procurement rules (e.g., use of competitive sealed proposals instead of formal bidding in some cases).
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for benefits
Potential Benefits (4)
Immediate toll suspension on evacuation routes during emergencies (e.g., wildfires, floods) removes a financial barrier to rapid egress, directly improving survival odds for low-income, elderly, and non-car-owning residents who rely on public transit or walking/biking during evacuations.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 1(1)(a)(ii)Standardizing interoperable, booth-free toll systems improves flow during evacuations and daily commutes—benefiting commuters without toll transponders (e.g., out-of-state visitors, low-income drivers using cash alternatives), and reducing crash risk from toll booth bottlenecks.
TransportationPeopleRef: Sec. 1(1)(d)Allowing competitive sealed proposals instead of formal bidding for ferry and facility contracts can accelerate response to urgent needs (e.g., post-flood terminal repairs), reducing downtime for critical infrastructure that communities depend on.
Local GovernmentLean peopleRef: Sec. 1(2)(a)Mandating life-cycle cost analysis—including fuel efficiency—for propulsion equipment procurement encourages adoption of cleaner, more efficient vessels and equipment, lowering emissions and long-term maintenance costs for state-run ferries.
EnvironmentPeopleRef: Sec. 1(2)(c)
Potential Concerns (4)
Suspension of tolls during emergencies may reduce revenue needed for emergency response infrastructure upgrades—e.g., backup power, flood-resistant design—potentially weakening long-term resilience of critical evacuation routes.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 1(1)(a)(ii)Toll suspension during emergencies may increase congestion on evacuation routes if traffic surges without corresponding capacity expansion, potentially slowing evacuations in high-demand scenarios (e.g., wildfire season in Eastern WA).
TransportationLean peopleRef: Sec. 1(1)(a)(ii)Shifting from formal bidding to competitive sealed proposals may reduce transparency in procurement, increasing risk of favoritism or lack of competitive pressure—especially for high-value ferry contracts—potentially inflating costs for the state.
Local GovernmentLean peopleRef: Sec. 1(2)(a)Mandating life-cycle cost analysis for propulsion equipment may disadvantage smaller vendors lacking sophisticated modeling tools or fuel-efficiency data, potentially narrowing the pool of qualified bidders over time.
Business & EmploymentRef: Sec. 1(2)(c)
Who Is Most Affected
Low-income, elderly, and non-driver residents benefit significantly during evacuations—toll suspension removes a potential barrier to timely egress, especially for those relying on ferries or bridges without personal vehicles or transponders.
WSDOT gains operational flexibility during emergencies but faces implementation challenges: coordinating toll suspension across multiple systems, ensuring interoperability, and balancing revenue loss against public safety goals.
State contractors may benefit from faster procurement processes but face increased pressure to meet technical evaluation criteria (e.g., life-cycle cost modeling), potentially favoring larger firms with advanced analytics capabilities.
Rural and island communities reliant on ferries gain faster evacuation access during disasters, but may face long-term service disruptions if procurement delays or revenue shortfalls impair vessel maintenance.
Local governments in evacuation corridors benefit from reduced traffic congestion and improved emergency response coordination, but may bear indirect costs if state toll revenue shortfalls lead to reduced local transportation funding.