wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > HB 1772 > Original Bill
A local authority may designate any nonarterial highway to be a shared street under this section, if the local authority has developed procedures for establishing shared streets.
Vehicular traffic traveling along a shared street shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian, bicyclist, or operator of a micromobility device on the shared street.
A bicyclist or operator of a micromobility device shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian on a shared street.
For purposes of this section:
"Micromobility device" means personal or shared nonmotorized scooters, "motorized foot scooters" as defined in RCW 46.04.336, and "electric personal assistive mobility devices" (EPAMD) as defined in RCW 46.04.1695; and
"Shared street" means a city street designated by placement of official traffic control devices where pedestrians, bicyclists, and vehicular traffic share a portion or all of the same street.
Where sidewalks are provided and are accessible, it is unlawful for any pedestrian to walk or otherwise move along and upon an adjacent roadway. Where sidewalks are provided but wheelchair access is not available, persons with disabilities who require such access may walk or otherwise move along and upon an adjacent roadway until they reach an access point in the sidewalk.
Where sidewalks are not provided or are inaccessible, a pedestrian walking or otherwise moving along and upon a highway, and any personal delivery device moving along and upon a highway, shall:
When shoulders are provided and are accessible, walk or move on the shoulder of the roadway as far as is practicable from the edge of the roadway, facing traffic when a shoulder is available in this direction; or
When shoulders are not provided or are inaccessible, walk or move as near as is practicable to the outside edge of the roadway facing traffic, and when practicable, move clear of the roadway upon meeting an oncoming vehicle.
A pedestrian traveling to the nearest emergency reporting device on a one-way roadway of a controlled access highway is not required to travel facing traffic as otherwise required by subsection (2) of this section.
When walking or otherwise moving along and upon an adjacent roadway, a pedestrian shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any vehicle upon the roadway.
Subsections (1) and (2) of this section do not apply when the roadway is duly closed to vehicular traffic by placement of official traffic control devices for the sole purposes of pedestrian and bicyclist use of the roadway.
Subsections (1), (2), and (4) of this section do not apply on a shared street as defined in section 1 of this act.
Whenever local authorities in their respective jurisdictions determine on the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation that the maximum speed permitted under RCW 46.61.400 or 46.61.440 is greater or less than is reasonable and safe under the conditions found to exist upon a highway or part of a highway, the local authority may determine and declare a reasonable and safe maximum limit thereon which
Decreases the limit at intersections; or
Increases the limit but not to more than 60 miles per hour; or
Decreases the limit but not to less than 20 miles per hour.
Local authorities in their respective jurisdictions shall determine by an engineering and traffic investigation the proper maximum speed for all arterial streets and shall declare a reasonable and safe maximum limit thereon, which may be greater or less than the maximum speed permitted under RCW 46.61.400(2) but shall not exceed 60 miles per hour.
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Local authorities in their respective jurisdictions may establish a maximum speed limit of 20 miles per hour on a nonarterial highway or part of a nonarterial highway or a maximum speed limit of 10 miles per hour on a shared street as defined in section 1 of this act.
A speed limit established under this subsection by a local authority does not need to be determined on the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation if the local authority has developed procedures regarding establishing a maximum speed limit under this subsection. Any speed limit established under this subsection may be canceled within one year of its establishment, and the previous speed limit reestablished, without an engineering and traffic investigation. This subsection does not otherwise affect the requirement that local authorities conduct an engineering and traffic investigation to determine whether to increase speed limits.
When establishing speed limits under this subsection, local authorities shall consult the manual on uniform traffic control devices as adopted by the Washington state department of transportation.
The secretary of transportation is authorized to establish speed limits on county roads and city and town streets as shall be necessary to conform with any federal requirements, which are a prescribed condition for the allocation of federal funds to the state.
Any altered limit established as hereinbefore authorized shall be effective when appropriate signs giving notice thereof are erected. Such maximum speed limit may be declared to be effective at all times or at such times as are indicated upon such signs; and differing limits may be established for different times of day, different types of vehicles, varying weather conditions, and other factors bearing on safe speeds, which shall be effective when posted upon appropriate fixed or variable signs.
Any alteration of maximum limits on state highways within incorporated cities or towns by local authorities shall not be effective until such alteration has been approved by the secretary of transportation.
The following rules shall govern the overtaking and passing of vehicles proceeding in the same direction:
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The driver of a vehicle overtaking other traffic proceeding in the same direction shall pass to the left of it at a safe distance and shall not again drive to the right side of the roadway until safely clear of the overtaken traffic.
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When the vehicle being overtaken is a motorcycle, motor-driven cycle, or moped, a driver of a motor vehicle found to be in violation of (a) of this subsection must be assessed an additional fine equal to the base penalty assessed under RCW 46.63.110(3). This fine may not be waived, reduced, or suspended, unless the court finds the offender to be indigent, and is not subject to the additional fees and assessments that the base penalty for this violation is subject to under RCW 2.68.040, 3.62.090, and 46.63.110.
The additional fine imposed under (b)(i) of this subsection must be deposited into the vulnerable roadway user education account created in RCW 46.61.145.
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The driver of a vehicle approaching an individual who is traveling as a pedestrian or on a bicycle, riding an animal, or using a farm tractor or implement of husbandry without an enclosed shell, and who is traveling in the right lane of a roadway or on the right-hand shoulder or bicycle lane of the roadway, shall:
On a roadway with two lanes or more for traffic moving in the direction of travel, before passing and until safely clear of the individual, move completely into a lane to the left of the right lane when it is safe to do so;
On a roadway with only one lane for traffic moving in the direction of travel:
(A) When there is sufficient room to the left of the individual in the lane for traffic moving in the direction of travel, before passing and until safely clear of the individual:
(I) Reduce speed to a safe speed for passing relative to the speed of the individual; and
(II) Pass at a safe distance, where practicable of at least three feet, to clearly avoid coming into contact with the individual or the individual's vehicle or animal; or
(B) When there is insufficient room to the left of the individual in the lane for traffic moving in the direction of travel to comply with (a)(ii)(A) of this subsection, before passing and until safely clear of the individual, move completely into the lane for traffic moving in the opposite direction when it is safe to do so and in compliance with RCW 46.61.120 and 46.61.125.
b. A driver of a motor vehicle found to be in violation of this subsection (2) must be assessed an additional fine equal to the base penalty assessed under RCW 46.63.110(3). This fine may not be waived, reduced, or suspended, unless the court finds the offender to be indigent, and is not subject to the additional fees and assessments that the base penalty for this violation is subject to under RCW 2.68.040, 3.62.090, and 46.63.110.
c. The additional fine imposed under (b) of this subsection must be deposited into the vulnerable roadway user education account created in RCW 46.61.145.
d. For the purposes of this section, "vulnerable user of a public way" has the same meaning as provided in RCW 46.61.5259.
e. This subsection (2) does not apply on a shared street as defined in section 1 of this act.
Every pedestrian or personal delivery device crossing a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway.
Where curb ramps exist at or adjacent to intersections or at marked crosswalks in other locations, persons with disabilities or personal delivery devices may enter the roadway from the curb ramps and cross the roadway within or as closely as practicable to the crosswalk. All other pedestrian rights and duties as defined elsewhere in this chapter remain applicable.
Any pedestrian crossing a roadway at a point where a pedestrian tunnel or overhead pedestrian crossing has been provided shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway.
Between adjacent intersections at which traffic-control signals are in operation pedestrians shall not cross at any place except in a marked crosswalk.
No pedestrian or personal delivery device shall cross a roadway intersection diagonally unless authorized by official traffic-control devices; and, when authorized to cross diagonally, pedestrians and personal delivery devices shall cross only in accordance with the official traffic-control devices pertaining to such crossing movements.
No pedestrian or personal delivery device shall cross a roadway at an unmarked crosswalk where an official sign prohibits such crossing.
This section does not apply on a shared street as defined in section 1 of this act.
Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at a rate of speed less than the normal flow of traffic at the particular time and place shall ride as near to the right side of the right through lane as is safe except:
While preparing to make or while making turning movements at an intersection or into a private road or driveway;
When approaching an intersection where right turns are permitted and there is a dedicated right turn lane, in which case a person may operate a bicycle in this lane even if the operator does not intend to turn right;
While overtaking and passing another bicycle or vehicle proceeding in the same direction; and
When reasonably necessary to avoid unsafe conditions including, but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, bicyclists, pedestrians, animals, and surface hazards.
A person operating a bicycle upon a roadway or highway other than a limited access highway, which roadway or highway carries traffic in one direction only and has two or more marked traffic lanes, may ride as near to the left side of the left through lane as is safe.
A person operating a bicycle upon a roadway may use the shoulder of the roadway or any specially designated bicycle lane.
When the operator of a bicycle is using the travel lane of a roadway with only one lane for traffic moving in the direction of travel and it is wide enough for a bicyclist and a vehicle to travel safely side-by-side within it, the bicycle operator shall operate far enough to the right to facilitate the movement of an overtaking vehicle unless other conditions make it unsafe to do so or unless the bicyclist is preparing to make a turning movement or while making a turning movement.
Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway shall not ride more than two abreast except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles.
This section does not apply on a shared street as defined in section 1 of this act.