BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
Senator Christine Kehoe, Chair
146 (Cox)
Hearing Date: 05/28/2009 Amended: A.I. 02/11/2009
Consultant: Mark McKenzie Policy Vote: T&H 11-0
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BILL SUMMARY: SB 146 would authorize the California
Transportation Commission (CTC) to relinquish a segment of State
Highway Route (SR) 49 in the Town of Downieville to the County
of Sierra.
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Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 Fund
Caltrans maintenance unknown long-term maintenance andSpecial*
repair costs (see staff comments)
Property transfer unknown foregone revenue by Special*
transferring property free of charge.
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*State Highway Account
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STAFF COMMENTS: SUSPENSE FILE.
The Legislature has provided statutory authorization to CTC to
relinquish a number of state highway segments to local
jurisdictions under specified conditions. This typically
provides the recipient agency with greater control over local
streets and transportation projects and relieves the Department
of Transportation (Caltrans) of any further responsibility to
improve, maintain, or repair infrastructure related to the
relinquished segment of state highway. Relinquishments are
subject to terms and conditions of agreements between Caltrans
and a local jurisdiction seeking control of a local highway
segment and CTC must determine that the agreement for
relinquishment is in the best interests of the state. Caltrans
annually sets aside $12 million of State Highway Operations and
Protection Plan (SHOPP) funding for rehabilitation necessary for
highway relinquishments.
SB 146 would authorize CTC, upon a determination that the terms
and conditions are in the state's best interest, to relinquish
to the County of Sierra the portion of SR 49 located within the
Town of Downieville. The relinquished portion would cease to be
a part of the state highway system, and would be ineligible for
future adoption as a state highway.
In the winter of 1937, a two-year-old bridge on SR 49 crossing
the Downie River in Downieville washed out in a flood. Traffic
was rerouted onto two county-owned streets and across the river
on a county-owned bridge. In 1940, Caltrans entered into an
agreement with Sierra County that permits the state to use and
maintain the county owned bridge and connecting streets as a
detour until a new bridge is constructed, which has never
happened. The existing right-of-way has been used by the County
for
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SB 146 (Cox)
the operation of several parking areas, a public visitor center,
parks, flood control facilities, historic interpretive
facilities, landscaping, road, and drainage systems. Sierra
County has requested that Caltrans relinquish the right-of-way
without cost or compensation from the County and further
requested that Caltrans continue to maintain the county road and
bridge that has served as a detour through Downieville in
perpetuity. The County proposes to use the property to provide
more recreational activities and enhance the visitor's center.
Typically a relinquishment provides local entities with control
of a roadway within its boundaries while relieving Caltrans of
further costs associated with maintenance and repair costs. The
relinquishment envisioned in this bill, however, would transfer
right-of-way that is not currently being used as a traversable
state highway to Sierra County, while continuing Caltrans'
responsibility to maintain and repair the detour roadway and
bridge within the Town of Downieville. The costs related to the
continued maintenance and repair of the roadway are unknown, but
likely minor in the near term. Any costs associated with future
repair and maintenance of the bridge, however, could be
significant, depending on the nature of the improvements.
At the time of this analysis, Caltrans was unable to provide
information relative to the acquisition costs or current value
of parcels located within the segment of SR 49 right-of-way that
would be relinquished. Several parcels are owned in fee title,
some of which are currently leased to the County, and other
parcels are held under easement rights. The current value of
these parcels is unknown. None of these parcels have been
deemed surplus because they are technically still part of the
state highway system. By relinquishing these parcels to Sierra
County at no cost, however, this bill would result in unknown
foregone revenue since Caltrans would not be able to sell the
property in the future.