BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 345 Page 1 Date of Hearing: April 11, 2011 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION Bonnie Lowenthal, Chair AB 345 (Atkins) - As Amended: April 4, 2011 SUBJECT : Vehicles: traffic control devices; consultation SUMMARY : Requires the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to add representatives from non-motorized interest groups to the California Traffic Control Devices Committee (CTCDC). Specifically, this bill : 1)Adds groups representing users of streets, roads, and highways to the list of entities that Caltrans must consult with before adopting rules and regulations prescribing uniform standards and specifications for official traffic control devices, as specified. 2)Specifies that Caltrans shall ensure that the CTCDC includes representatives of non-motorized user groups. 3)Defines, for the purposes of this section, "users of streets, roads, and highways" to mean bicyclists, children, persons with disabilities, motorists, movers of commercial goods, pedestrians, users of public transportation, and seniors. 4)Makes related, clarifying amendments. EXISTING LAW : 1)Requires the Office of Planning and Research to amend its general plan guidelines to specify how local officials can accommodate safe and convenient travel that meets the needs of all users. 2)Requires that Caltrans, after consultation with local authorities, adopt uniform standards for all traffic control devices to be used on California streets and highways. 3)Provides that only those official traffic control devices conforming to the standards promulgated by Caltrans shall be placed on a highway. 4)Requires the Office of Planning and Research to address the AB 345 Page 2 local planning process to better accommodate the safe and convenient travel for all users of streets, roads, and highways. FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown. COMMENTS : According to the author, the intent of this bill is to ensure that the membership of CTCDC is representative of all road users. To accomplish this, this bill directs Caltrans to ensure that the CTCDC includes representative of groups such as bicyclists, children, persons with disabilities, motorists, movers of commercial goods, pedestrians, users of public transportation, and seniors. CTCDC is the officially recognized advisory body to the Caltrans Director in the area of traffic control. The advisory committee (committee) was started in 1933 following an agreement between the State and the two automobile clubs. Membership in the committee first consisted of the State Maintenance Engineer, Chief Engineer for the California State Automobile Association, and the Field Engineer for the Automobile Club of Southern California - the automobile clubs performed all signing functions on State Highways at that time. After 1948, committee membership was expanded to include representation from the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the Institute of Traffic and Transportation Engineering of the University of California, the League of California Cities, and the County Supervisors Association of California. In 1968, the committee was reorganized again to include members of the Institute of Transportation Studies and the regional office of the Federal Highway Administration as technical advisors to the Committee. At this time, the committee's scope was broadened to include review and approval of all traffic control devices -hence the name change to CTCDC. In 1969, the California Legislature deleted provisions from the Vehicle Code specifying standards for traffic control devices and instead charged Caltrans, after consultation with local authorities, to adopt uniform standards for all traffic control devices to be used on California streets and highways. The CTCDC completes the required consultation prior to advising Caltrans Director on the adoption of rules and regulations in prescribing uniform standards. AB 345 Page 3 Caltrans describes the current role of CTCDC to include: a) Promoting the uniform and functional design and application of traffic control devices; b) Gathering, disseminating, and exchanging information among State, national and local agencies; c) Serving as a forum to review and evaluate traffic control device proposals; d) Obtaining and reporting to the parent organizations on legislation; e) Conducting and reviewing research and development and practices regarding traffic control devices; f) Advise the Caltrans on standards and policy for traffic control devices in California; g) Reviewing the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Devices (CMUTCD) pertaining to traffic control devices; and, h) Advise the California Caltrans in the revisions of the CMUTCD. In response to concerns that the planning process did not address all roadway users, the Complete Streets Act of 2008 (Act) (AB 1358 (Leno) Chapter 657, Statutes of 2008) was enacted to ensure better accommodation for all users of streets, roads, and highways. Specifically, the Act required the Office of Planning and Research to amend its "General Plan Guidelines" for the circulation element to specify how local officials can accommodate safe and convenient travel for all roadway users. This Act also required cities and counties, upon any substantive revision, to modify their circulation elements to plan to achieve a balanced multi-modal transportation network that meets the needs of all users of streets, roads, and highways. In response, Caltrans issued a policy directive (Deputy Directive 64-R1) in the fall of 2008, directing internal programs to include bicycle, pedestrian and transit modes in statewide strategies for safety and mobility and to ensure that AB 345 Page 4 Caltrans manuals, guidance, standards, and procedures reflect the objectives of the Act. Proponents of this bill contend that adding representation of non-motorized user groups to the CTCDC will help to broaden the committee's perspective and increase sensitivity to non-motorized user interests. REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION : Support California Bicycle Coalition (Sponsor) Bike Bakersfield Local Government Commission Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition Rails to Trails Conservancy San Diego County Bicycle Coalition Transform Walk San Francisco Opposition None on file Analysis Prepared by : Victoria Alvarez / TRANS. / (916) 319- 2093