BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  AB 344
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   April 29, 2009

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Kevin De Leon, Chair

                  AB 344 (Caballero) - As Amended:  April 15, 2009 

          Policy Committee:                               
          TransportationVote:10-0 (Consent)

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:               

           SUMMARY  

          This bill authorizes the California Transportation Commission  
          (CTC) to relinquish the follow segments of the state highway  
          system:

          1)A 1.5 mile portion of State Route (SR) 146 within the City of  
            Soledad (Monterey County).

          2)SR 1 (Pacific Coast Highway) from the Santa Ana River Bridge  
            to Jamboree Road (about 4.1 miles) and SR 55 (Newport  
            Boulevard) from Finley Street to Newport Channel Bridge (0.2  
            miles) to the City of Newport Beach.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          1)Minor one-time costs for SR 146 and moderate one-time costs,  
            potentially in the hundreds of thousands to millions of  
            dollars, for SRs 1 and 55 for Caltrans to bring these highway  
            segments up to a "state of good repair" before they can be  
            relinquished.  (State Highway Account (SHA))  These costs will  
            be the result of negotiations between Caltrans and the  
            respective cities following legislative authorization for the  
            relinquishments.

          2)Long-term maintenance and repair savings to Caltrans, if the  
            CTC exercises its authority to relinquish these highway  
            segments.  (SHA)

           COMMENTS  

           Background and Purpose  .  Legislation is required before any  








                                                                  AB 344
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          segment of state highway can be relinquished to another  
          governmental entity.  Relinquishment provides the recipient  
          agency with more control over a local transportation project and  
          relieves Caltrans of any further responsibility to improve,  
          maintain, or repair infrastructure related to the relinquished  
          segment of state highway.

          The City of Soledad is seeking control of the above segment to  
          implement features of the City's beautification plan that are  
          non-standard for a state highway.

          The City of Newport Beach is seeking relinquishment of the two  
          segments of Pacific Coast Highway so that it can more  
          efficiently schedule roadway maintenance activities to better  
          suit its residents' needs.  

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081