What is CAPP?
The County Arterial Preservation Program is similar to the Department of Transportation's Highway Preservation Program. The CAPP program is designed to help counties preserve their existing paved arterial road networks. The program generates approximately $30 million per biennium. Less than 3% of the revenue is spent for administration (WAC 136-300).
Why CAPP?
The County Arterial Trust Account (CAPA) was created by Washington State Legislature in 1990 to fund the preservation of paved arterials on the statewide county road system. The CRABoard administers these funds through the County Arterial Preservation Program (CAPP) program via WAC 136 - 300. The CAPP is funded with 0.45 cent of the fuel tax, which generates approximately $30 million per biennium and $3 million per biennium from the Transportation Partnership Account (TPA). These funds are allocated directly to the counties to help them avoid costly roadway failures had the surface repairs been delayed. The County Road Administration Board, utilizing less than three percent of the revenue, monitors each county's overall arterial preservation program and accomplishments year by year. This encourages effective planning and ensures the funds are used where they are most needed. See CAPP submittal forms and due dates.
Requirements
In order to retain their eligibility for CAPP funds year to year, counties are required to use a pavement management system (PMS) to assist their project selection and decision process.
A cooperative project involving staff from CRAB's Engineering and Information Services Divisions, along with a cross section of county engineering representatives, has produced a pavement management software system that is suitable for all counties. The program, part of Mobility, produces a systematic evaluation of the pavement condition of the county's road network. In addition, it can help predict the optimum time to apply pavement rehabilitation given future budget constraints and anticipated funding.