BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                     SB 461


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          SENATE THIRD READING


          SB  
          461 (Hernandez)


          As Amended  July 8, 2015


          Majority vote


          SENATE VOTE:  38-0


           ------------------------------------------------------------------ 
          |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,       |                    |
          |                |     |Bloom, Bonta,         |                    |
          |                |     |Calderon, Chang,      |                    |
          |                |     |Nazarian, Eggman,     |                    |
          |                |     |Gallagher, Eduardo    |                    |
          |                |     |Garcia, Holden,       |                    |
          |                |     |Jones, Quirk, Rendon, |                    |
          |                |     |Wagner, Weber, Wood   |                    |








                                                                     SB 461


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          |                |     |                      |                    |
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          SUMMARY:  Authorizes the California Transportation Commission  
          (CTC) to relinquish to Los Angeles County a segment of State  
          Route (SR) 164 south of Temple City.  Specifically, this bill:  


          1)Authorizes CTC to relinquish to Los Angeles County the portion  
            of SR 164 (also known as Rosemead Boulevard) from Gallatin  
            Road near Pico Rivera to the southern city limits of South El  
            Monte in the vicinity of Rush Street, upon terms and  
            conditions approved by CTC.  
          2)Authorizes CTC to relinquish to the City of South El Monte the  
            portion of SR 164 (also known as Rosemead Boulevard) from the  
            southern city limit of El Monte in the vicinity of the Rio  
            Hondo River to the southern city limit of Temple City in the  
            vicinity of Grand Avenue, upon terms and conditions approved  
            by CTC.


          3)Provides that the relinquishments will become effective  
            immediately following recordation of the relinquishment  
            resolution.


          4)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.  


          5)Requires Los Angeles County and the City of El Monte to  
            maintain signage directing motorists to the continuation of SR  
            164. 


          EXISTING LAW:   








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          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.


          4)Provides for a two-step state highway relinquishment process  
            allowing for the deletion of sections of the state highway  
            system beginning with the Legislature amending existing law to  
            allow for the state highway segment to be deleted and  
            culminating with the CTC making a finding that it is in the  
            best interest of the state to delete a specified portion of  
            roadway from the system.  


          FISCAL EFFECT:  According to the Assembly Appropriations  
          Committee:


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








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          COMMENTS:  According to the author, the goal of this bill is to  
          relinquish two segments of SR 164, also known as Rosemead  
          Boulevard, to the County of Los Angeles and to the City of El  
          Monte for the purpose of realizing a community-driven vision for  
          a Complete Streets corridor project.  This corridor project  
          fully accommodates safe and convenient travel for all users of  
          the road, especially vulnerable roadway users such as people  
          with disabilities, seniors, youth, pedestrians and cyclists.   
          This project also aims to compliment the surrounding Whittier  
          Narrows Recreational Area - the largest park in the region - by  
          enhancing recreation opportunities and access to the park.


          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 established, CTC typically approves  
          the relinquishment and verifies its approval via a resolution.   
          That is the case with this bill in that Caltrans has negotiated  
          agreements with both Los Angeles County and the City of El Monte  
          for the specified segments of SR 164 that are proposed for  
          relinquishment.  This bill authorizes CTC to relinquish the road  
          to these entities should they determine it is in the best  
          interest of the state to do so.  




          Analysis Prepared by:                                             
          Victoria Alvarez / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093  FN: 0001616













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