Title Info: Transportation Department, Agency Library, History Files

This collection includes materials related to the history of roads and highways in Washington State, gathered by the Department of Transportation Library.


The Highway Department continued to function until 1921. In that year the Administrative Code abolished the Department of Highways and the Highways Board and placed the highway function under the Department of Public Works. Highways was designated as a division and administered Under a 1907 statute, provisions were made for the state to aid counties in the construction of roads, called appropriately, State Aid Roads, and for state highways to be constructed entirely with state funds. In 1909 the State Legislature gave the Department the responsibility of maintaining roads it had constructed, previously a county task.

The Highway Department continued to function until 1921. In that year the Administrative Code abolished the Department of Highways and the Highways Board and placed the highway function under the Department of Public Works. Highways was designated as a division and administered by a supervisor of highways appointed by the director of the Department.

At this same time a State Highway Committee, consisting of the Governor, State Treasurer and the State Auditor, was designated to exercise all of the powers and duties previously vested in the Highway Board. The Division of Highways lasted only two years as part of the Department of Public Works. In 1923 it was abolished and legislation authorized the creation of an office of State Highway Engineer appointed by the Governor. The State Highway Committee continued to function until 1929 when the State Legislature abolished the committee and the position of State Highway Engineer and in its place created the position of Director of Highways and made the Department of Highways a separate code department.

The Washington State Toll Bridge Authority was created in 1937 as part of the Highway Code. It was authorized to establish and construct toll bridges, issue bonds for financing bridges, and collect tolls for the retirement of financial obligations. Under 1965 legislation the Toll Bridge Authority was absorbed by the Department of Highways.

In 1951 the State Legislature created a five-man Highway Commission to assume the duties of the Director of Highways. This commission of private citizens was largely a policy making body, the decisions of which were left to the director to carry out.

In 1977 the Legislature created the Department of Transportation to coordinate all modes of transportation. All powers, duties, and functions previously vested by law in the Department of Highways, the State Highway Commission, the Director of Highways, the Washington Toll Bridge Authority, the Aeronautics Commission, the Director of Aeronautics, the Canal Commission, and the transportation related powers, duties, and functions of the Planning and Community Affairs Agency, were transferred to the jurisdiction of the new Department of Transportation.