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
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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.
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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
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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