BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular Session
AB 1500 (Atkins) - State highways: relinquishment: Route 75
-----------------------------------------------------------------
| |
| |
| |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|--------------------------------+--------------------------------|
| | |
|Version: August 1, 2016 |Policy Vote: T. & H. 10 - 0 |
| | |
|--------------------------------+--------------------------------|
| | |
|Urgency: No |Mandate: No |
| | |
|--------------------------------+--------------------------------|
| | |
|Hearing Date: August 1, 2016 |Consultant: Mark McKenzie |
| | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File.
Bill
Summary: AB 1500 would authorize the California Transportation
Commission (CTC) to relinquish specified portions of State
Highway Route (SR) 75 to the Cities of Imperial Beach and San
Diego.
Fiscal
Impact:
Unknown one-time costs ranging from minor up to several
million to the Department of Transportation (Caltrans) prior
to the relinquishment of the designated segments of SR 75 to
the Cities of San Diego and Imperial Beach (State Highway
Account). These costs would be offset in future years due to
avoided maintenance costs on the relinquished segments.
Background: Existing law identifies the California state highway system
(SHS) through a description of segments of the state's regional
AB 1500 (Atkins) Page 1 of
?
and interregional roads that are owned and operated by Caltrans.
Existing law requires the CTC to relinquish to cities and
counties segments of state highways that have been deleted from
the SHS by legislative enactment. The CTC is prohibited from
relinquishing a segment of state highway to a city or county
that has been superseded by relocation until Caltrans has placed
the highway into a "state of good repair," which includes litter
removal, weed control, and tree and shrub trimming, but does not
obligate Caltrans for widening, new construction, or major
reconstruction, unless directed by the CTC.
The Legislature has provided statutory authorization to CTC to
relinquish a number of state highway segments to local
jurisdictions under specified conditions. Relinquishment
provides the recipient agency with greater control over local
transportation projects and relieves Caltrans of any further
responsibility to improve, maintain, or repair infrastructure
related to the relinquished segment of state highway.
Generally, relinquishments are subject to negotiated agreements
between Caltrans and a local jurisdiction seeking control of a
local highway segment. CTC must determine that the agreement
for relinquishment, which has typically involved a one-time
payment of State Highway Account funds to the local entity, is
in the best interests of the state.
Historically, Caltrans has annually set aside $12 million of
State Highway Operations and Protection Plan (SHOPP) funding for
rehabilitation necessary for highway relinquishments. In recent
years, however, Caltrans has not set aside funding to
rehabilitate relinquished highways.
Proposed Law:
AB 1500 would authorize CTC to relinquish the portions of SR
75 located in the Cities of Imperial Beach and San Diego within
their respective city limits, upon a determination that the
relinquishment is in the state's best interest. The
relinquished segments would cease to be a part of the state
highway system, and would be ineligible for future adoption as a
state highway. The bill would require the Cities of Imperial
Beach and San Diego to ensure the continuity of traffic flow
AB 1500 (Atkins) Page 2 of
?
along the relinquished portions and maintain signs directing
motorists to the continuation of SR 75, to the extent deemed
necessary by Caltrans.
Related
Legislation: SB 254 (Allen), as heard by this Committee in
2015, would have established procedures for the administrative
relinquishment of state highway segments that do not serve an
interregional purpose. That bill was amended in the Assembly to
address an unrelated subject.
Staff
Comments: Existing law describes SR 75 as a highway from Route
5 to Route 5 via the Silver Strand and upon the San
Diego-Coronado Toll Bridge. Going from north to south, SR 75
crosses the bridge and passes through the Cities of Coronado and
Imperial Beach before re-entering San Diego city limits and
connecting to Route 5. The U.S. Navy has initiated a series of
improvements on its property at the Naval Amphibious Base
located along the Silver Strand Boulevard section of SR 75, just
north of Imperial Beach. 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
(approximately 1.2 miles of roadway locally identified as Palm
Avenue) so that it can work with the Navy in managing traffic.
According to a recent Caltrans analysis, this segment of SR 75
functions as a city street rather than a state highway or
interregional route, with on-street parking, numerous driveways,
and other access points.
Caltrans may provide State Highway Account funding to a local
entity that is assuming control over state highway segments in
order to bring the roadway up to a "state of good repair,"
although there is no statutory obligation to do so. The actual
amounts vary for each relinquished highway segment and are
determined by a negotiation of terms and conditions between
Caltrans and the local jurisdiction, but those costs are based
upon a cost-benefit analysis covering a ten-year period, which
is included in a Project Scope Summary Report prepared for
legislative relinquishments.
Caltrans has not identified a specific cost estimate for the
AB 1500 (Atkins) Page 3 of
?
relinquishment of this highway segment, but based on other
relinquishments, one-time costs may range from minimal up to $1
million per centerline mile of roadway depending on numerous
factors such as roadway condition, projected maintenance costs,
and any planned capital projects. The combined segments of SR
75 within the Cities of San Diego and Imperial Beach are
approximately 2.2 miles long, so initial costs could be minimal
but may be as high as $2 million. The relinquishment of these
segments would relieve Caltrans of any future maintenance and
repair costs, resulting in unknown long-term annual savings.
Actual costs and savings would be more certain if legislation to
authorize relinquishment followed, rather than preceded, the
completion of the cost-benefit analysis and an agreement between
Caltrans and the specified cities. However, Caltrans does not
typically conduct the analysis and enter into negotiations until
legislative authority for relinquishment has been provided.
Staff notes that Caltrans District 11 staff is currently working
on a Transportation Concept Report for SR 75, which is scheduled
for completion in late 2016. This planning document will
identify existing and future route conditions as well as any
future needs for the highway, and it may be useful to inform
relinquishment negotiations. Caltrans is also in the process of
completing a Relinquishment Assessment Report for the portions
of SR 75 within the City of Coronado.
-- END --