BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                       AB 218


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          ASSEMBLY THIRD READING


          AB  
          218 (Melendez)


          As Introduced  February 2, 2015


          Majority vote


           -------------------------------------------------------------------- 
          |Committee       |Votes |Ayes                  |Noes                 |
          |----------------+------+----------------------+---------------------|
          |Transportation  |16-0  |Frazier, Achadjian,   |                     |
          |                |      |Baker, Bloom, Campos, |                     |
          |                |      |Chu, Daly, Dodd,      |                     |
          |                |      |Eduardo Garcia,       |                     |
          |                |      |Gomez, Kim, Linder,   |                     |
          |                |      |Medina, Melendez,     |                     |
          |                |      |Nazarian, O'Donnell   |                     |
          |                |      |                      |                     |
          |----------------+------+----------------------+---------------------|
          |Appropriations  |17-0  |Gomez, Bigelow,       |                     |
          |                |      |Bonta, Calderon,      |                     |
          |                |      |Chang, Daly, Eggman,  |                     |
          |                |      |Gallagher,            |                     |
          |                |      |Eduardo Garcia,       |                     |
          |                |      |Gordon, Holden,       |                     |
          |                |      |Jones, Quirk, Rendon, |                     |
          |                |      |Wagner, Weber, Wood   |                     |
           -------------------------------------------------------------------- 


          SUMMARY:  This bill authorizes the California Transportation  
          Commission (CTC) to relinquish a portion of State Route (SR) 74 to  
          the County of Riverside.  Specifically, this bill:  








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          1)Authorizes CTC to relinquish the portion of SR 74, located  
            within the unincorporated area east of the City of Lake Elsinore  
            and west of the City of Perris, upon terms established by the  
            California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the  
            County of Riverside.
          2)Specifies that the relinquishment will become effective  
            immediately after the county recorder records the relinquishment  
            resolution that contains CTC approval.


          3)Provides that, on the effective date of the relinquishment, the  
            relinquished portion of SR 74 will cease to be a state highway  
            and may not be considered for future re-adoption as a state  
            highway.


          4)Requires that the County of Riverside maintain signs directing  
            motorists to the continuation of SR 74.


          EXISTING LAW:  


          1)Defines a "state highway" as any roadway that is acquired, laid  
            out, constructed, improved, or maintained as a state highway  
            pursuant to constitutional or legislative authorization.
          2)Statutorily identifies state highway system routes.


          3)Specifies that it is the intent of the Legislature that the  
            prescribed routes of the state highway system connect  
            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.


          FISCAL EFFECT:  According to the Assembly Appropriations  
          Committee:









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          1)Potentially significant one-time costs (State Highway Account)  
            depending on the outcome of negotiations between Caltrans and  
            the County and a determination by Caltrans that the  
            relinquishment is in the best interest of the state.  
          2)Significant long-term maintenance and repair savings to  
            Caltrans, if the CTC exercises its authority to relinquish the  
            highway segment.


          COMMENTS:  Each session, numerous bills authorizing CTC to  
          relinquish segments of the state highway 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, the  
          Legislature authorizes CTC to relinquish the segment and CTC then  
          approves the relinquishment and verifies its approval via  
          resolution.  The final step is for the Legislature to delete these  
          segments from current law.


          State highway relinquishments provide the recipient agencies with  
          greater control over a local transportation segment and relieve  
          Caltrans of any further responsibility to improve, maintain, or  
          repair the segment.


          Writing in support of this bill, the Southwest California  
          Legislative Council notes that relinquishment of the specified  
          portion of SR 74 would allow the County of Riverside to manage and  
          maintain the segment thereby reducing the state taxpayer burden as  
          well as allow for much needed maintenance improvements along the  
          route.



          Please see the policy committee analysis for full discussion of  
          this bill.








                                                                       AB 218


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          Analysis Prepared by:                                               
                          Victoria Alvarez / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093  FN:  
          0000584