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 Page 2 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 Page 3 Opposition None on file Analysis Prepared by : Janet Dawson / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093