BILL ANALYSIS
AB 344
Page 1
CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 344 (Caballero)
As Amended September 1, 2009
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |79-0 |(June 1, 2009) |SENATE: |35-0 |(September 2, |
| | | | | |2009) |
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Original Committee Reference: TRANS .
SUMMARY : Allows the California Transportation Commission (CTC)
to relinquish five specific segments of the state highway
system.
The Senate amendments authorize relinquishment of two additional
segments of State Route (SR) 146:
1)To the County of Monterey, the portion within the limits of
that county.
2)To the County of San Benito, the portion within the limits of
that county.
The Senate also took technical amendments to avoid chaptering
out problems with SB 532 (Cogdill).
EXISTING LAW :
3)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.
4)Specifies that it is the intent of the Legislature that the
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.
5)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.
AB 344
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6)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.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill:
7)Authorized CTC to relinquish to the City of Soledad a 1.5-mile
portion of SR 146 that is within the City, upon terms and
conditions CTC finds to be in the best interest of the state.
8)Authorized 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.
9)Provided 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.
10)Specified 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.
11)Required the cities 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.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee:
12)Minor one-time costs of up to $500,000 for SR 146 in Soledad
and moderate one-time costs, potentially in the hundreds of
thousands to $1 million each, for SRs 1 and 55 for Caltrans to
bring these highway segments up to a "state of good repair"
before they can be relinquished. These costs will be the
result of negotiations between Caltrans and the respective
cities and counties following legislative authorization for
the relinquishments. (The Senate Appropriations Committee
AB 344
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analysis does not reflect costs associated with the additional
two segments of SR 146, added by amendment subsequent to the
committee's hearing on this bill.)
13)Long-term maintenance and repair savings to Caltrans, if CTC
exercises its authority to relinquish these highway segments.
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 1.5-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.
Analysis Prepared by : Janet Dawson / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093
FN: 0002799