BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND HOUSING
Senator Jim Beall, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular
Bill No: AB 1115 Hearing Date: 6/14/2016
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|Author: |Salas |
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|Version: |1/13/2016 |
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|Urgency: |No |Fiscal: |Yes |
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|Consultant|Erin Riches |
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SUBJECT: School zones: state highways
DIGEST: This bill designates a portion of State Highway Route
(SR) 184 in Kern County as a school zone.
ANALYSIS:
Existing law:
1)Provides that the state Department of Transportation
(Caltrans) owns and operates all state highways in California.
2)Designates SR 184, from Route 223 near Weed Patch to Route 178
in Bakersfield, as a state highway.
3)Establishes a speed limit of 25 mph when approaching or
passing a school building or school grounds, where the highway
is posted with a standard "SCHOOL" warning sign at any
distance up to 500 feet away from school grounds.
4)Authorizes a local authority to establish a prima facie speed
limit of less than 25 mph in a residence district, on a
highway with a posted speed limit of 30 mph or slower, or
under specified circumstances including within 500 feet of, or
passing, a school building or grounds where the building or
grounds are contiguous to a highway. Requires the local
authority to base the new speed limit on an engineering and
travel survey.
AB 1115 (Salas) Page 2 of ?
This bill:
1)Designates the portion of SR 184 at the intersection of Sunset
Boulevard and adjacent to Sunset Middle School, in Kern
County, as a school zone.
2)Requires Caltrans to identify this school zone with standard
"SCHOOL" warning signs and to establish prima facie speed
limits within the zone, pursuant to existing law.
COMMENTS:
1)Purpose. The author states that in the past few years,
several tragic fatalities have occurred at the intersection of
SR 184 and Sunset Boulevard, the main access point to Sunset
Middle School, due to lack of adequate safety measures. Two
stop signs control traffic traveling east and west on Sunset
Boulevard, but there are no measures to slow traffic traveling
north and south on SR 184, which is a state highway and thus
controlled by Caltrans. The author states that this bill will
help make the intersection safe for parents and students
entering and exiting the school grounds.
2)Why do we need a bill to designate a school zone? In general,
Caltrans has authority over state highways. Local
authorities, however, may establish a school zone on a
highway, but only if the school building or grounds are
contiguous to the highway. In the case of Sunset Middle
School, the school is adjacent to, but not contiguous with, SR
184, and therefore state law does not allow that portion of
the highway to be designated as a school zone. This bill
would create an exception to existing law by designating the
intersection as a school zone.
3)Can the problem be solved without a bill? Caltrans has
committed to installing advisory signs, an advisory speed
limit, and flashing lights on SR 184 approaching Sunset Middle
School and intends to have these measures installed by the
beginning of the new school year. Caltrans also plans to
eventually install a roundabout at the intersection. The
author wishes to continue moving this bill to help ensure that
these actions take place.
Related Legislation:
AB 1115 (Salas) Page 3 of ?
SB 632 (Cannella, 2015) - would have authorized a local
authority to establish a 15 mph prima facie speed limit in a
school zone. In lieu of hearing this bill, this committee asked
the California Traffic Control Device Committee (CTCDC) to
consider the content of the bill. The CTCDC established a
School Zone Subcommittee, which is reviewing the issue.
Assembly Votes:
Floor: 78-1
Appr: 17-0
Trans: 16-0
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
POSITIONS: (Communicated to the committee before noon on
Wednesday, June 8, 2016.)
SUPPORT:
Clinica Sierra Vista Behavioral Health Center
Vineland School District
OPPOSITION:
None received
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