BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó






           SENATE TRANSPORTATION & HOUSING COMMITTEE       BILL NO: Ab 747
          SENATOR MARK DESAULNIER, CHAIRMAN              AUTHOR:  levine
                                                         VERSION: 5/28/13
          Analysis by:  Eric Thronson                    FISCAL:  yes
          Hearing date:  June 4, 2013



          SUBJECT:

          Relinquishment of State Route 131

          DESCRIPTION:

          This bill authorizes the California Transportation Commission  
          (CTC) to relinquish the segment of State Route (SR) 131 in the  
          Town of Tiburon.

          ANALYSIS:

          Existing law:

                 Identifies the California state highway system through a  
               description of segments of the state's regional and  
               interregional roads that are owned and operated by the  
               Department of Transportation (Caltrans).

                 Defines a "state highway" as any roadway that is  
               acquired, laid out, constructed, improved, or maintained as  
               a state highway according to legislative authorization.

                 Specifies that it is the intent of the Legislature for  
               the routes of the state highway system to 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.

                 Provides that any expansion or deletion of the state  
               highway system occurs through a statutory process requiring  
               the CTC to make findings that it is in the best interest of  
               the state to include or delete a specified portion of  
               roadway from the system.

           This bill  authorizes the CTC to relinquish to the Town of  
          Tiburon the portion of SR 131 within its city limits or sphere  
          of influence, upon terms and conditions the CTC finds to be in  




          AB 747 (LEVINE)                                        Page 2

                                                                       


          the best interest of the state.  Further, the bill provides that  
          the relinquishment will become effective immediately following  
          the county recordation of the relinquishment resolution and  
          specifies that following the effective date of relinquishment,  
          the relinquished segment will no longer be a state highway and  
          may not be considered for future adoption as a state highway.   
          Finally, the bill requires the Town of Tiburon to ensure the  
          continuity of traffic flow, including any traffic signal  
          progression, and to provide signage directing motorists to the  
          continuation of SR 131. 
          



          COMMENTS:

           Purpose  .  According to the author, it is important for the state  
          to relinquish the road to Tiburon in order to grant Tiburon more  
          direct control of the road.  The portion of SR 131 this bill  
          relinquishes is an approximately one-mile section of road that  
          looks and feels like a typical main street.  The author argues  
          that relinquishment of the road will speed up the time it takes  
          for Tiburon to make changes to the roadway such as signage,  
          landscaping, decorations, bike lanes, or parking.

          Assembly Votes:
               Floor:    76-0
               Appr: 17-0
               Trans:    16-0


          POSITIONS:  (Communicated to the committee before noon on  
          Wednesday,                                             May 29,  
          2013.)

               SUPPORT:  None received.

               OPPOSED:  None received.