BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



          SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND HOUSING
                              Senator Jim Beall, Chair
                                2015 - 2016  Regular 

          Bill No:          AB 1500           Hearing Date:     6/28/2016
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          |Author:   |Atkins                                                |
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          |Version:  |6/21/2016                                             |
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          |Urgency:  |No                     |Fiscal:      |Yes             |
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          |Consultant|Manny Leon                                            |
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          SUBJECT:  State highways: relinquishment: Route 75


            DIGEST:  This bill allows the California Transportation  
          Commission (CTC) to relinquish segments of State Route (SR) 75  
          in San Diego County. 

          ANALYSIS:
          
          Existing law:
          
          1)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).

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

          3)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.

          4)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  







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            system.

          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  
            Caltrans and the cities of Imperial Beach and San Diego, to  
            relinquish that portion of SR 75 that lies within the  
            applicable city 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 cities that adopt a segment of SR 75 to ensure  
            continuity of traffic flow, including traffic signal  
            progression, on the relinquished segment.  Also requires these  
            cities to install and maintain signs directing motorists to  
            the continuation of SR 75 to the extent that Caltrans  
            determines such signage is necessary.

          COMMENTS:

          1)  Purpose. The author introduced this bill in response to the  
            U.S. Navy starting a series of improvements on its property  
            located along SR 75 in the area between the City of Imperial  
            Beach and the City of Coronado.  The improvements are expected  
            to generate a significant amount of traffic when fully  
            constructed and occupied.  The Imperial Beach City Council  
            would like to have more direct control over SR 75 within its  
            boundaries so that it can work with the Navy in managing  
            traffic.

           1) Relinquishments.  Each session, the Legislature passes and  
             the governor signs numerous bills authorizing CTC to  
             relinquish segments of the state highway system to local  
             jurisdictions.  Relinquishment transactions are generally  
             preceded by a negotiation of terms and conditions between the  
             local jurisdiction and Caltrans.  Once an agreement has been  








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             established, CTC typically approves the relinquishment and  
             verifies its approval via a resolution.

           2) Caltrans study. In July 2014, Caltrans released an analysis  
             titled "Transportation System Analyses and Evaluation for  
             State Route 75 for Segment Within the City of Imperial  
             Beach."  The analysis indicated that the portion of SR 75  
             being evaluated for relinquishment operated like a city  
             street rather than a state highway, with on-street parking,  
             numerous driveways, and access points generated significant  
             side friction. The Caltrans analysis identified that this  
             portion of the SR 75 does not function as an interregional  
             transportation facility. Furthermore, SR 75 parallels the  
             Interstate 5 (I-5) freeway, which carries most of the  
             interregional commercial and passenger vehicular traffic.  
             This bill authorizes CTC to move forward with the  
             recommendations identified in this Caltrans analysis of SR  
             75.

          FISCAL EFFECT:  Appropriation:  No    Fiscal Com.:  No    Local:  
           No


          Assembly Votes:

             Prior votes not relevant
            
          POSITIONS:  (Communicated to the committee before noon on  
          Wednesday,
                          June 22, 2016.)
          
            SUPPORT:  

          The Honorable David Alvarez, Councilmember, City of San Diego 

          OPPOSITION:

          None received


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