BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 755
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 1, 2013

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                  Mike Gatto, Chair

                AB 755 (Ammiano) - As Introduced:  February 21, 2013 

          Policy Committee:                               
          TransportationVote:14-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          Yes    Reimbursable:              Yes

           SUMMARY  

          This bill requires, for construction or reconstruction of a  
          bridge to be eligible for federal or state highway funds or toll  
          bridge revenues, that the planning process for the project take  
          into account the need for a suicide barrier.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Costs to Caltrans and local agencies to bring this additional  
          consideration into the planning process of all bridge projects  
          should be absorbable. 

          Few bridges are likely to be candidates for a suicide barrier,  
          but additional planning, design and construction costs would be  
          significant for those determined to be in need of this feature.  
          Incorporating this feature, where needed, into the original  
          project may avoid a more costly retrofit in the future, however.

           COMMENTS  

           1)Background and Purpose  . The author has introduced AB 755 to  
            increase the consideration for suicide barriers on the state's  
            bridges.  His office reports that this bill is as a result of  
            the author's work to secure a suicide barrier on the Golden  
            Gate Bridge. In 2008, directors of the Golden Gate Bridge  
            Highway and Transportation District voted to install a suicide  
            barrier on the bridge.  The planned barrier will be a  
            stainless-steel net system that will make it nearly impossible  
            for someone to commit suicide by jumping from the bridge. The  
            barrier is estimated to cost $40 million to $50 million.









                                                                  AB 755
                                                                  Page  2

            This bill is not intended to impose a specific planning  
            process on Caltrans or local transportation agencies. By  
            requiring "consideration" for suicide barriers in the planning  
            stages of a bridge project, project designers should have  
            greater opportunities to incorporate suicide barriers in  
            earlier design stages, potentially reducing overall costs for  
            those barriers deemed necessary.

           2)Suggested Amendments  . The author should clarify (a) at what  
            stage of the project planning process the new consideration  
            should be incorporated and (b) that this requirement does not  
            apply to current bridge projects-already expending state and  
            federal funds--whose planning is beyond that stage.

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081