BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  AB 1464
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 13, 2009

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Kevin De Leon, Chair

                     AB 1464 (Smyth) - As Amended:  May 4, 2009 

          Policy Committee:                               
          TransportationVote:12-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:               

           SUMMARY  

          This bill authorizes Caltrans to establish a process for  
          identifying and promoting bicycle routes of state or regional  
          significance.  Specifically, this bill:

          1)Authorizes Caltrans, through its statewide bicycle planning  
            process, to establish a process for identifying and promoting  
            bicycle routes of state or regional significance, considering  
            historic routes, established training or racing routes, and  
            routes of unique scenic significance.  

          2)Provides that Caltrans may establish a process whereby local  
            bicycle organizations, private entities, or local government  
            entities may nominate a route for inclusion in the system of  
            bicycle routes of state or regional significance, and may  
            develop criteria for the design, placement, and installation  
            of signs relative to bicycle routes of state or regional  
            significance.  

          3)Provides that Caltrans may install bicycle route signs that  
            identify bicycle routes of state or regional significance that  
            are associated only with the state highway system and  
            state-financed public transportation systems.

          4)Provides that, when requested and reimbursed by a city or  
            county, Caltrans shall place bicycle route signs on the state  
            highway system and state-financed public transportation  
            systems that direct traffic to bicycle routes on city or  
            county roads.

          5)Requires that all costs to purchase, erect, and maintain  








                                                                  AB 1464
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            bicycle route signs be paid by the applicants and nominating  
            entities.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Minor absorbable administrative costs to the extent Caltrans  
          implements the bill's provisions, and minor costs, fully  
          reimbursed, to install the bicycle route signs.

           COMMENTS  

           Purpose  .  According to the author, "bicycle-related transactions  
          resulted in nearly $1 billion in sales in California last year,  
          creating and sustaining jobs and generating tax revenues to  
          support state and local economies. Cycling tourism is a growing  
          industry and many states have already invested considerable  
          resources to attract cycling tourism.  California should be  
          attempting to attract its share of the cycling tourism market. "
           Analysis Prepared by  :    Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081