BILL ANALYSIS SENATE TRANSPORTATION & HOUSING COMMITTEE BILL NO: AB 344 SENATOR ALAN LOWENTHAL, CHAIRMAN AUTHOR: Caballero VERSION: 4/15/09 Analysis by: Art Bauer FISCAL: yes Hearing date: June 23, 2009 SUBJECT: State highway relinquishments DESCRIPTION: This bill relinquishes a segment of State Route (SR) 146 to the City of Soledad, and a segment of SR 1 (Pacific Coast Highway) and a portion of SR 55 to the City of Newport Beach. ANALYSIS: Existing law: Identifies the California state highway system through a description of segments of the state's regional and interregional roads that are owned and operated by the Department of Transportation (Caltrans). Defines a "state highway" as any roadway that is acquired, laid out, constructed, improved, or maintained as a state highway according to legislative authorization. Specifies that it is the intent of the Legislature for the routes of the state highway system to 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. Provides that any expansion or deletion of the state highway system is through a statutory process requiring the California Transportation Commission (CTC) to make findings that it is in the best interest of the state to include or delete a specified portion of roadway from the system. AB 344 (CABALLERO) Page 2 This bill : 1. Authorizes the CTC to relinquish to the City of Soledad a 1-mile segment of State Route (SR) 146, upon terms and conditions CTC finds to be in the best interest of the state. 2. Requires the City of Soledad to provide signage indicating the continuation of SR 146 through the city. 3. 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. 4. Requires the City of Newport Beach to provide signage indicating the continuation of SR 1 and SR 55 through the city. 5. Requires the City of Newport Beach to ensure that traffic flows on the relinquished segments through the use of traffic signal synchronization and other means. 6. Provides that the relinquishments will become effective immediately following the county recordation of the relinquishment resolutions containing the CTC's approval of the specified terms and conditions. 7. 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. COMMENTS: Purpose . For several years, the City of Soledad has been planning and implementing various beautification projects within the city, focused primarily on Front Street. A segment of SR 146 coincides with of Front Street. Because the beautification features planned by the city are inconsistent with state highway design standards, the relinquishment of SR 146 to the city will allow the city to implement a consistent design standard for the entire length of Front Street. SB 290 (Transportation Committee bill), Statutes of 2001, AB 344 (CABALLERO) Page 3 relinquished a portion of SR 1 to the City of Newport Beach. The relinquishment authorizes by this bill is a continuation of the earlier relinquishment. The city would like to take over the ownership of this segment of SR 1 so that it can maintain the entire length of the highway through the community to the level that it desires and at the time of low traffic volumes. Assembly Votes: Floor: 79-0 Appr: 17-0 Trans: 10-0 POSITIONS: (Communicated to the Committee before noon on Wednesday, June 17, 2009) SUPPORT: City of Soledad (co-sponsor) City of Newport Beach (co-sponsor) Soledad Historical Society Soledad Unified School District Transportation Agency for Monterey County OPPOSED: None received.