BILL ANALYSIS
AB 344
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Date of Hearing: April 13, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
Mike Eng, Chair
AB 344 (Caballero) - As Amended: April 15, 2009
SUBJECT: State highway: relinquishment
SUMMARY : This bill allows the California Transportation
Commission (CTC) to relinquish three specific segments of the
state highway system. Specifically, this bill :
1)Authorizes CTC to relinquish to the City of Soledad a 1-mile
portion of State Route (SR) 146 that is within the city, upon
terms and conditions CTC finds to be in the best interest of
the state.
2)Authorizes the CTC to relinquish to the City of Newport Beach
a 4.12-mile portion of SR 1 (Pacific Coast Highway), from the
Santa Ana River Bridge to Jamboree, and a .18-mile portion of
SR 55 (Newport Boulevard) from Finley Street to the Newport
Channel Bridge.
3)Provides that the relinquishments will become effective
immediately following the county recordation of the
relinquishment resolutions containing CTC's approval of the
specified terms and conditions.
4)Specifies that following the effective date of relinquishment
the relinquished segments will no longer be state highways and
may not be considered for future adoption as state highways.
5)Requires the City to ensure continuity of traffic flow,
maintain traffic signal progression, and maintain signs along
the segments in their jurisdiction directing motorists to the
continuation of the respective state routes.
EXISTING LAW :
6)Statutorily identifies state highway system routes; defines
"state highway" as any roadway that is acquired, laid out,
constructed, improved, or maintained as a state highway
pursuant to constitutional or legislative authorization.
7)Specifies that it is the intent of the Legislature that the
AB 344
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prescribed routes of the state highway system connect the
communities and regions of the state and that they serve the
state's economy by connecting centers of commerce, industry,
agriculture, mineral wealth, and recreation.
8)Provides for the expansion or deletion of the state highway
system through a process whereby CTC makes a finding that it
is in the best interest of the state to include or delete a
specified portion of roadway to the system.
9)Provides for the relinquishment of a portion of state highway
to a city or county under an agreement between the local
jurisdiction and the Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
when an act of the Legislature has deleted the portion of
highway from the state highway system.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : Each session, numerous bills authorizing CTC to
relinquish segments of the state highway segments to local
jurisdictions are passed by the Legislature and signed by the
Governor. Relinquishment transactions are generally preceded by
a negotiation of terms and conditions between the local
jurisdiction and Caltrans. Once an agreement has been
established, CTC typically approves the relinquishment and
verifies its approval via a resolution. The final step is for
the Legislature to delete these segments from current law.
State highway relinquishments provide recipient agencies with
greater control over a local transportation segment and relieve
Caltrans of any further responsibility to improve, maintain, or
repair it.
The City of Soledad is seeking control of this 1 -mile segment
to implement features of the City of Soledad's beautification
plan that are non-standard for a state highway.
The City of Newport Beach is seeking relinquishment of these two
segments so that it can more efficiently schedule roadway
maintenance activities to better suit its residents' needs.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
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City of Newport Beach
City of Soledad
Soledad Unified School District
Opposition
None received
Analysis Prepared by : Janet Dawson / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093