A state House committee this week approved a bill that would let Island County form a regional transportation planning organization, or RTPO.

House Bill 2815, sponsored by Rep. Dave Hayes, R-Camano Island, if enacted would help ensure local and regional coordination of transportation planning and would help maintain a six-year improvement program, Hayes said in a prepared release.

Island County for 24 years was part of an RPTO with Skagit County, but last year Skagit County voted to withdraw from it, leaving Island County “alone and ineligible under current law to form an RTPO,” Hayes said.

It’s important for Island County to be able to plan regionally, because its two islands are non-contiguous, said Island County Commissioner Jill Johnson.

“If transportation doesn’t move effectively on and off either one of our islands, it can stop building in our area and all growth and development,” she said.

Under the bill, any county with a population greater than 75,000 that contains a Washington State Ferries terminal would be authorized to form an RTPO. If enacted, the bill would take effect July 1. It has been sent to the House Rules Committee, where it must be acted on by Feb. 17.

For information: http://app.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=2815&year=2015