wa-26-17-033: Transportation, Department of — WSR 26-17-033

WSR 26-17-033 (26-17)WSR 26-17-033PROPOSED RULESDEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION[Filed August 11, 2026, 10:27 a.m.]Original Notice.Preproposal statement of inquiry was filed as WSR 26-05-034.Title of Rule and Other Identifying Information: Amending WAC 468-16-130 pertaining to classes of work for contractors prequalified to perform highway construction. Hearing Location(s): On Thursday, September 24, 2026, at 9:00 a.m., virtual hearing in Microsoft Teams at https://bit.ly/WAC-468-16-130-Sept-24-2026. To join the virtual hearing, use the web address shown for the hearing location or dial in by phone at +1 206-531-0324,,823312392# for United States, Seattle. You can use this link to find a local number https://dialin.teams.cloud.microsoft/039e7852-bef4-4986-949b-6b82f4e2095f?id=823312392, Phone Conference ID 823 312 392#.For further details about joining a Microsoft Teams meeting, visit https://aka.ms/JoinTeamsMeeting?omkt=en-US.Date of Intended Adoption: September 24, 2026.Submit Written Comments to: Jenna Kemp, 1655 South 2nd Avenue S.W., Tumwater, WA 98512, email jenna.kemp@wsdot.wa.gov, fax 360-705-6810, beginning the date and time of this filing, by September 23, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact Washington state department of transportation (WSDOT) Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) office, phone toll-free 855-362-4ADA(4232), TTY 711, email wsdotada@wsdot.wa.gov, by September 16, 2026.Purpose of the Proposal and Its Anticipated Effects, Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: WSDOT has determined that there are two additional types of work in which we would like to establish contractor experience to ensure that contractors have the necessary experience, organization, and technical qualifications to perform the proposed contract. The new classifications are high friction surface treatment and movable bridge construction.Reasons Supporting Proposal: Establishing the new classifications to qualify contractors under will ensure that these types of contracts are performed by qualified vendors in the future.Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 47.01.101, 47.28.030, and 47.28.070.Rule is not necessitated by federal law, federal or state court decision.Name of Proponent: WSDOT, governmental.Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting, Implementation, and Enforcement: Jenna Kemp, Tumwater, Washington, 360-705-7017.A school district fiscal impact statement is not required under RCW 28A.305.135.A cost-benefit analysis is not required under RCW 34.05.328. This is not required because WSDOT is not subject to RCW 34.05.328 (5)(a)(i) and has not made RCW 34.05.328 applicable to this rule.This rule proposal, or portions of the proposal, is exempt from requirements of the Regulatory Fairness Act because the proposal: Is exempt under RCW 19.85.025(4).Explanation of exemptions: WSDOT's prequalification process is no cost to vendors. This change simply adds new types of work and would not change the process or effort required to become prequalified, which remains no cost and unchanged.Scope of exemption for rule proposal:Is fully exempt.August 11, 2026Sam Wilson, DirectorBusiness Support ServicesRDS-6985.3AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 15-01-170, filed 12/23/14, effective 1/23/15)WAC 468-16-130Prequalification work classes.A contractor seeking prequalification under this chapter will be classified for one or more of the following listed work classes in accordance with the adequacy of the firm's equipment and plant facilities and its demonstrated ability to perform the work class sought.Class 1Clearing, grubbing, grading and draining Removal of tree stumps, shrubs, modification of the ground surface by cuts and fills, excavating of earth materials, placement of drainage structures, and construction of structural earth walls.Class 2Production and placing of crushed materials Production and placing crushed surfacing materials and gravel.Class 3Bituminous surface treatment Placing of crushed materials with asphaltic application.Class 4Asphalt concrete paving Production and placing Asphalt Concrete Plant Mix Pavement.Class 5Cement concrete paving Production and placing cement concrete pavement.Class 6Bridges and structures Construction of bridges and other major structures of timber, steel, and concrete.Class 7Buildings Construction of buildings and related structures and major reconstruction and remodeling of such buildings.Class 8Painting Painting bridges, buildings, and related structures.Class 9Traffic signals Installation of traffic signal and control systems.Class 10Structural tile cleaning Cleaning tunnels, large buildings and structures and storage tanks.Class 11Guardrail Construction of a rail secured to uprights and erected as a barrier between, or beside lanes of a highway.Class 12Pavement marking (excluding painting) Thermoplastic markings, stripes, bars, symbols, etc. Traffic buttons, lane markers, guide posts.Class 13Demolition Removal of timber, steel, and concrete structures and obstructions.Class 14Drilling and blasting Controlled blasting of rock and obstructions by means of explosives.Class 15Sewers and water mains Draining, pipe jacking, water systems, pumping stations, storm drainage systems, sewer rehabilitation, sewage pumping stations, pressurized lines.Class 16Illumination and general electrical Highway illumination, navigational lighting, wiring, junction boxes, conduit installation.Class 17Cement concrete curb and gutter Sidewalks, spillways, driveways, monument cases and covers, right of way markers, traffic curbs, and gutters.Class 18Asphalt concrete curb and gutter Sidewalks, spillways, driveways, monument cases and covers, right of way markers, traffic curbs, and gutters.Class 19Riprap and rock walls Mortar, rubble, and masonry walls; rock retaining walls, and placing of large broken stone on earth surfaces for protection against the action of water.Class 20Concrete structures except bridges Cast-in-place median barrier, prestressing, post-tensioned structures, footings, prefabricated panels and walls, retaining walls, and ramps, foundations, rock bolts, and concrete slope protection.Class 21Tunnels and shaft excavation Tunnel excavation, rock tunneling, and soft bore tunneling.Class 22Piledriving Driving concrete, steel, and timber piles.Class 23Concrete surface finishes Architectural concrete surface finishes (fractured fin, random board, exposed aggregate, etc.). Waterproofing concrete surfaces (clear or pigmented sealer).Class 24Fencing Wire and metal fencing, glare screens.Class 25Bridge deck repair Bridge expansion joint repair and modification, bridge deck resurfacing and repair, deck seal.Class 26((Not used))High friction surface treatment High quality aggregate and polymer binder installation.Class 27Signing Sign structures and sign foundations.Class 28Drilled large diameter slurry shafts Drilled shafts 4' diameter or larger and greater than 15' deep when excavation is performed utilizing the wet method and concrete is placed by tremie methods under slurry.Class 29Slurry diaphragm and cut-off walls Slurry excavation and the construction of structural concrete walls and slurry cut-off walls.Class 30Surveying Highway construction surveying.Class 31Water distribution and irrigation Irrigation systems and heavy duty water distribution.Class 32Landscaping Landscape irrigation, planting, sodding, seeding, fertilizing, mulching, herbicide application, insecticide application, weed control, mowing, liming, soil binder, topsoil.Class 33Engineering Work other than surveying, including engineering calculations, drawing and other related work for highway construction.Class 34Erosion control Seeding, fertilizing, mulching, slope protection, topsoil application, hydro-seeding, soil stabilization, soil sampling.Class 35Precast median barrier A concrete barrier that is cast and cured in other than its final position used to divide the median of two adjacent highways or temporarily placed to divert traffic in construction zones.Class 36Earth retention and anchoring Installation of permanent soil nails, soldier piles, timber lagging and micropiles. Soldier pile tie-back anchor wall construction.Class 37Impact attenuators Installation of approved protective systems filled with sand, water, foam, or other substances which prevent errant vehicles from impacting roadside hazards.Class 38Paint striping Painted bars, letters, symbols, and striping.Class 39Slope protection The installation of a zinc coated steel wire mesh anchored by wire rope and reinforced concrete posts or anchor rods. Used for dampening the effects of rolling rocks onto the highway. Slope scaling, horizontal drains, rock dowels, and rock bolts for slope stabilization.Class 40Gabion and gabion construction Construction of walls made with containers of galvanized steel hexagonal wire mesh and filled with stone.Class 41Intelligent transportation systems (ITS) Traffic sensors systems, highway advisory radios, environmental sensing stations, variable message signs, nonfiber optic based closed circuit television, and video systems.Class 42Electronics - Fiber optic based communications systems Design and installation of fiber optic based communication systems.Class 43Mechanical Plumbing work and the installation of heating or air conditioning units.Class 44Asbestos abatement Asbestos abatement (L & I certified workers).Class 45Hazardous waste removal The containment, cleanup, and disposal of toxic materials. Companies seeking this classification shall have full-time personnel with current hazardous waste training (certifications).Class 46Concrete restoration Pavement subseal, cement concrete repair, epoxy coatings, epoxy repair, masonry repair, masonry cleaning, special coatings, epoxy injection, gunite, shotcrete grouting, pavement jacking, gunite repair, and pressure grouting.Class 47Concrete sawing, coring, and grooving Concrete sawing, concrete planing, grinding, grooving, bump grinding, joint repair, concrete coring and rumble strips.Class 48Dredging Excavating underwater materials.Class 49Marine work Underwater surveillance, testing, repair, subaquatic construction, anchors, and cable replacement, floating concrete pontoon repairs and modifications, disassembly and assembly of floating concrete pontoons.Class 50Ground modification Pressure grouting, blast densification, stone column, jet grouting, compaction, dynamic compaction, soil mixing, gravel drain.Class 51Well drilling Drilling wells, installing pipe casing and pumping stations.Class 52Sewage disposal Hauling and disposing liquid and solid wastes.Class 53Traffic control Providing piloted traffic control, traffic control labor, and maintenance and protection of traffic.Class 54Railroad construction Construction of railroad subgrade, placing of ballast, ties, and track and other items related to railroad work.Class 55Steel fabrication Welding of steel members, heat straightening steel.Class 56Street cleaning Street sweeping with self-propelled sweeping equipment.Class 57Materials transporting Truck hauling.Class 58Sand blasting and steam cleaning Steam cleaning, sand blasting, shot blasting, and water blasting.Class 59Movable bridge installation and rehabilitation Construction, repair, or alteration of counterweight and operating wire ropes, counterweight and deflector sheaves, counterweights, trunnions and trunnion bearings, movable spans and leaves, span drive motors, hydraulic span drive and auxiliary drive systems, motor control centers, span drives, programmable logic control and relay control systems, span locks, motor and machinery brakes, drive machinery, warning gates and barrier gate systems.