Washington State VMT Reduction Law

Washington's Legislature passed (and Gov. Gregoire signed) legislation that mandates a reduction in VMT (vehicle miles traveled) in Washington.

The legislation is HOUSE BILL 2815. It requires an 18 percent reduction in per capita VMT by 2020, 35 percent by 2035, and 50 percent by 2050.

Does the replacement bridge violates this new Washington law? Given the increases in VMT anticipated with this project, one could ask the Washington DOT and Washington Department of Ecology to address how the bridge fits with these new requirements.

The relevant portion reads:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. A new section is added to chapter 47.01 RCW
28 to read as follows:
29 To support the implementation of RCW 47.04.280 and 47.01.078(4),
30 the department shall adopt broad statewide goals to reduce annual per
31 capita vehicle miles traveled by 2050 consistent with the stated goals
32 of executive order 07-02. Consistent with these goals, the department
33 shall:
34 (1) Establish the following benchmarks using a statewide baseline
35 of seventy-five billion vehicle miles traveled less the vehicle miles

1 traveled attributable to vehicles licensed under RCW 46.16.070 and
2 weighing ten thousand pounds or more, which are exempt from this
3 section:
4 (a) Decrease the annual per capita vehicle miles traveled by
5 eighteen percent by 2020;
6 (b) Decrease the annual per capita vehicle miles traveled by thirty
7 percent by 2035; and
8 (c) Decrease the annual per capita vehicle miles traveled by fifty
9 percent by 2050;

Citation:

Chapter 14, Laws of 2008
60th Legislature
2008 Regular Session
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
EFFECTIVE DATE: 06/12/08