BILL ANALYSIS �
------------------------------------------------------------
|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 345|
|Office of Senate Floor Analyses | |
|1020 N Street, Suite 524 | |
|(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | |
|327-4478 | |
------------------------------------------------------------
THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 345
Author: Atkins (D), et al.
Amended: 6/29/11 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE TRANSPORTATION & HOUSING COMM : 6-3, 06/28/11
AYES: DeSaulnier, Kehoe, Lowenthal, Pavley, Rubio,
Simitian
NOES: Gaines, Harman, Huff
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 60-16, 05/16/11 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Traffic control devices
SOURCE : California Bicycle Coalition
DIGEST : 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
CONTINUED
AB 345
Page
2
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
Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices).
This bill:
1.Requires Caltrans, after consulting with local agencies
and groups representing users of streets, roads and
highways, 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:
A Caltrans representative;
A CHP representative;
Two representatives recommended by the League of
Cities;
Two representatives recommended by the California
State Association of Counties;
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
Two representatives, approved by the Director of
Caltrans, of non-motorized users of the highway
recommended by the Active Transportation and Livable
Communities Committee within Caltrans.
AB 345
Page
3
1.Defines "users of the highway" as bicyclists, children,
persons with disabilities, motorists, movers of
commercial goods, pedestrians, users of public
transportation, and seniors.
Comments
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
AB 345
Page
4
users' perspectives in the development of traffic
regulation.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 8/22/11)
California Bicycle Coalition (source)
American Lung Association
Bike Bakersfield
California Council for the Blind
California Transit Association
Center for Nutrition and Activity Program
Channel Islands Bicycle Club
Endangered Habitat League
Local Government Commission
Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition
Metropolitan Transportation Commission
Orange County Wheelman
Planning and Conservation League
Rails to Trails Conservancy
San Diego County Bicycle Coalition
Transform
Walk San Francisco
OPPOSITION : (Verified 8/22/11)
Department of Transportation
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author's office,
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
AB 345
Page
5
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.
ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION : The Department of
Transportation (Caltrans) states in opposition, "?Caltrans
shares your concern that non-motorized interests be
appropriately represented on the CTCDC. However, we
believe that this goal can be achieved more effectively
through an administrative process than through legislation.
An administrative approach will allow us the flexibility
to develop a selection process that will ensure the
appointment of well qualified representatives who are able
to effectively represent the concerns of non-motorized
highway users at the CTCDC, which is a technical advisory
committee."
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 60-16, 05/16/11
AYES: Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Beall, Block,
Blumenfield, Bonilla, Bradford, Brownley, Buchanan,
Butler, Charles Calderon, Campos, Carter, Cedillo,
Chesbro, Cook, Davis, Dickinson, Eng, Feuer, Fletcher,
Fong, Fuentes, Galgiani, Gatto, Gordon, Hagman, Hall,
Hayashi, Roger Hern�ndez, Hill, Huber, Hueso, Huffman,
Jeffries, Jones, Lara, Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma, Mendoza,
Mitchell, Monning, Nestande, Olsen, Pan, Perea, V. Manuel
P�rez, Portantino, Skinner, Smyth, Solorio, Swanson,
Torres, Valadao, Wieckowski, Williams, Yamada, John A.
P�rez
NOES: Achadjian, Bill Berryhill, Donnelly, Beth Gaines,
Garrick, Grove, Halderman, Harkey, Knight, Logue,
Mansoor, Miller, Morrell, Nielsen, Silva, Wagner
NO VOTE RECORDED: Conway, Furutani, Gorell, Norby
JJA:nl 8/22/11 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
**** END ****
AB 345
Page
6