BILL ANALYSIS �
SENATE TRANSPORTATION & HOUSING COMMITTEE BILL NO: AB 345
SENATOR MARK DESAULNIER, CHAIRMAN AUTHOR: atkins
VERSION: 6/20/11
Analysis by: Carrie Cornwell FISCAL: yes
Hearing date: June 28, 2011
SUBJECT:
Traffic control devices
DESCRIPTION:
This bill establishes in statute the California Traffic Control
Devices Committee.
ANALYSIS:
Existing law requires the California Department of
Transportation (Caltrans), after consultation with local
agencies and public hearings, to adopt rules and regulations
that prescribe uniform standards and specifications for traffic
control devices in this state. Caltrans fulfills the mandate to
consult with local agencies and hold public hearings through its
California Traffic Control Devices Committee (CTCDC), which
Caltrans created for this purpose. Caltrans sets the membership
of the CTCDC, which since the 1930s has included representatives
of the automobile clubs of northern and southern California.
The clubs originally installed traffic signs on highways.
The CTCDC currently has eight voting members. These are a
representative of Caltrans, a representative of the California
Highway Patrol (CHP), two representatives of cities appointed by
the League of Cities, two representatives of counties appointed
by the California State Association of Counties, and two
representatives from the auto clubs (one from the Automobile
Club of Southern California and one from AAA Northern
California).
The CTCDC makes recommendations on the rules and regulations,
but ultimately the director of Caltrans adopts and publishes
these regulations and rules as the California Manual on Uniform
Traffic Control Devices (the California MUTCD).
This bill :
AB 345 (ATKINS) Page 2
1)Requires Caltrans to establish a committee to advise Caltrans
and hold public hearings on the adoption of rules and
regulations that prescribe uniform standards and
specifications for traffic control devices. The committee
shall have the following membership:
i) A Caltrans representative;
ii) A CHP representative;
iii) Two representatives recommended by the League of
Cities;
iv) Two representatives recommended by the California
State Association of Counties;
v) Two representatives of motorized users of the
highway, one recommended by the Automobile Club of
Southern California and one recommended by AAA Northern
California; and
vi) Two representatives of non-motorized users of the
highway recommended by the Active Transportation and
Livable Communities Committee within Caltrans.
2) Defines "users of the highway" as bicyclists, children,
persons with disabilities, motorists, movers of commercial
goods, pedestrians, users of public transportation, and
seniors.
COMMENTS:
1. Purpose . The author asserts that a street is not
complete until it serves everyone, whether young or old,
motorist or bicyclist, walker or wheelchair user, bus rider
or shopkeeper. She notes that a growing coalition of
advocates for motorists, bicyclists, children, seniors, and
the disabled are working to complete the streets and
thereby ease transportation congestion, improve public
health and safety, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and
other environmental impacts of our transportation system.
California is among the leaders in the U.S. with policies
to foster complete streets. The author and the bill's
sponsor, the California Bicycle Coalition, introduced this
bill to involve fully all users of streets and roads in
Caltrans' process for developing its traffic control
regulations. By codifying the CTCDC and adding two voting
members representing non-motorized users, this bill will
help ensure that California designs it streets and highways
not only for cars but for all road users.
AB 345 (ATKINS) Page 3
2. Complete streets . Many California cities and regional
transportation planning agencies have adopted policies
requiring the consideration of all road users in the design
of new and rebuilt roads. Similarly, AB 1358 (Leno),
Chapter 657, Statutes of 2008, requires the Office of
Planning and Research (OPR) to amend its guidelines for the
development of general plan circulation elements to require
that the building and operation of local transportation
facilities safely and conveniently accommodate everyone,
regardless of mode of travel. OPR completed these
amendments last year. AB 1358 also requires, beginning
January 1, 2011, cities and counties to modify their
circulation elements to plan for a balanced multi-modal
transportation network that meets the needs of all users of
highways.
Caltrans created the Active Transportation and Livable
Communities Committee composed of interest groups
representing non-motorized users of the highway, state
departments, and the public to discuss accommodating on
state and local roads forms of travel other than single
occupant autos. It also functions as a forum to discuss
implementation of AB 1358. This bill asserts that this
committee is the most comprehensive complete streets venue
in the state and should therefore make a recommendation to
Caltrans on the two non-motorized highway user members of
the CTCDC.
In addition, Caltrans adopted a policy in October 2008,
entitled "Complete Streets - Integrating the Transportation
System," which directs Caltrans personnel in specific ways
to provide for the needs of all travelers of all ages and
abilities on the state highway system and to address the
safety and mobility needs of bicyclists, pedestrians, and
transit users in all transportation projects. This bill
provides an additional step: consideration of all road
users' perspectives in the development of traffic
regulation.
3. Support if amended . The California State Association of
Counties (CSAC) supports this bill if it is amended to have
the director of Caltrans select the two representatives
from Caltrans' Active Transportation and Livable
Communities Committee to the CTCDC but keep the appointment
of the other members with the CHP, the League of Cities,
AB 345 (ATKINS) Page 4
and CSAC, as is the case now. The author will accept
amendments in the hearing to amend this bill as CSAC
requests.
4. Technical amendments .
On page 3, line 13, delete "California"
On page 3, line 14, insert "California" before
Cities
Recent amendments inadvertently deleted Caltrans'
requirement to adopt the rules and regulations
prescribing uniform standards and specifications for
traffic control devices. To remedy this, the author or
committee may wish to amend the bill to ensure that state
statute would continue to require Caltrans to adopt these
rules if this bill becomes law.
1. Chaptering amendments . This bill and AB 529 (Gatto),
which passed this committee on June 14th, amend the same
section of the Vehicle Code, but are otherwise not in
conflict. If these two bills continue to move through the
Legislature, the authors will need to amend them to ensure
that, should both be signed into law, the second bill
signed does not chapter out the first.
Assembly Votes:
Floor: 60-16
Appr: 12-5
Trans: 10-4
POSITIONS: (Communicated to the Committee before noon on
Wednesday, June 22,
2011)
SUPPORT: California Bicycle Coalition (sponsor)
California Transit Association
Center for Nutrition and Activity Promotion
Channel Island Bicycle Club
Huntington Beach Bicycle Advocates
Metropolitan Transportation Commission
Napa County Bicycle Coalition
Orange County Wheelmen
AB 345 (ATKINS) Page 5
OPPOSED: None received.