BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                  AB 747
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   April 15, 2013

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
                               Bonnie Lowenthal, Chair
                 AB 747 (Levine) - As Introduced:  February 21, 2013
           
          SUBJECT  :  State highway: relinquishment:  State Route 131

           SUMMARY  :  This bill allows the California Transportation  
          Commission (CTC) to relinquish a segment of State Route (SR) 131  
          in the Town of Tiburon.  Specifically,  this bill  :  

          1)Authorizes CTC, upon a determination that it is the best  
            interest of the state to do so and upon an agreement between  
            the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the  
            Town of Tiburon, to relinquish to Tiburon the segment of SR  
            131 beginning east of the intersection with Lyford Drive  
            within the town limits.  

          2)Provides that the relinquishments will become effective on the  
            date following the county recordation of the relinquishment  
            resolutions containing CTC's approval of the specified terms  
            and conditions.  

          3)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.  

          4)Requires the Town of Tiburon to ensure continuity of traffic  
            flow, including traffic signal progression, on the  
            relinquished segment.  

          5)Provides that the relinquishment is to be done at no cost to  
            the state, unless upon a finding of the CTC.  

           EXISTING LAW  :  

          6)Statutorily identifies state highway system routes.  

          7)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.  

          3)Specifies that it is the intent of the Legislature that the  








                                                                  AB 747
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            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.  

          1)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.  

          2)Provides for the relinquishment of a portion of state highway  
            to a city or county under an agreement between the local  
            jurisdiction and Caltrans when an act of the Legislature has  
            deleted the portion of highway from the state highway system.   


          FISCAL EFFECT:  Unknown

          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.  

          SR 131 is an approximately 4-mile stretch of road that connects  
          the Town of Tiburon with U.S. Route 101.  AB 747 will provide  
          for the relinquishment of about a one-mile segment within the  
          town limits.  According to the author, both the town and  
          Caltrans are in discussions on the relinquishment.  
           
            REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION  :  

           Support 
           
          None on file









                                                                  AB 747
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           Opposition 
           
          None on file
           

          Analysis Prepared by  :   Janet Dawson / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093