BILL ANALYSIS �
SENATE TRANSPORTATION & HOUSING COMMITTEE BILL NO: AB 1915
SENATOR MARK DESAULNIER, CHAIRMAN AUTHOR: Alejo
VERSION: 3/26/12
Analysis by: Eric Thronson FISCAL: yes
Hearing date: June 19, 2012
SUBJECT:
Safe routes to school
DESCRIPTION:
This bill permits The Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to
use up to ten percent of state Safe Routes to School (SRTS)
program funds for infrastructure improvements creating safe
routes to bus stops not in the vicinity of schools.
ANALYSIS:
In 1999, AB 1475 (Soto), Chapter 663, established the state SRTS
program, the first in the nation, for the construction of
bicycle and pedestrian safety and traffic calming projects that
improve safety and promote walking and bicycling to school. The
SRTS concept aims to increase the number of children who walk or
bicycle to school by funding projects that remove the barriers
that currently prevent them from doing so. In 2005, the federal
transportation funding bill, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible,
Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users
(SAFETEA-LU), established a federal SRTS program. Caltrans
administers both the state and federal programs, but administers
them as distinct programs because they are subject to different
requirements under state and federal laws. This bill makes
changes only to the state program.
In administering the state SRTS program, Caltrans determines how
much will be made available to each of Caltrans' 12 districts in
proportion to the number of students enrolled in kindergarten
through 12th grade in each district, with no district receiving
less than $500,000 per funding cycle. Through a competitive
process, Caltrans awards grants to local governmental agencies
based on a number of factors, such as demonstrated need, use of
a specified public participation process, and the recipient
being a low-income school. Cities and counties must work
collaboratively with other local partners, including school
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officials and community stakeholders, to develop project
proposals. Caltrans district office staff ranks each proposal
it receives, based on the criteria outlined in statute, and
forwards the top-ranked proposals to Caltrans headquarters for
final approval.
This bill permits Caltrans to use up to ten percent of the state
SRTS funds to assist eligible recipients in making
infrastructure improvements, other than schoolbus shelters, that
create safe routes to bus stops located outside the vicinity of
schools.
COMMENTS:
1.Purpose . According to the author, this bill is intended to
serve the safety needs of low-income rural school children who
depend on buses to transport them to school and often walk
along busy roads with insufficient or low-quality walking
infrastructure. Supporters argue that current law does not
specify that the SRTS program can support infrastructure
improvements to increase pedestrian safety for children
walking to school bus stops. As a result, rural communities
that must use buses to get their children to school cannot
enjoy the benefits of the SRTS program.
2.Should SRTS be restricted to schoolbus stops ? As currently
written, this bill permits Caltrans to spend some of the state
SRTS funds on routes to bus stops rather than schools.
Technically, this appears to enable local government agencies
to use these funds for routes to either a schoolbus or some
other bus stop, such as a public transit bus stop. On one
hand, this may be appropriate, particularly in urban areas
where many school children ride public transit to and from
school. Alternatively, it is unlikely that rural students
live near public transit bus stops, as public transit is not
commonly provided in rural areas. It seems that if the aim of
the bill is to increase the number of rural communities
eligible for this funding, it might be more effective to amend
this bill to restrict the funding to projects involving
schoolbus stops.
3.Opposition . WALKSacramento is opposed to this bill, claiming
that it is in complete opposition to the policy goals of the
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SRTS program. The organization contends that, because the
bill allows funding to be used in vicinities not near a
school, it does not encourage students to walk or bike, does
not improve safety for children, nor encourage more physical
activity among children. Further, WALKSacramento points out
that allowing funds to be spent away from schools restricts
the very limited funding that can provide safer and healthier
travel choices for children who live near schools.
Assembly Votes:
Floor: 75 - 5
Appr: 17 - 0
Trans: 10 - 0
POSITIONS: (Communicated to the Committee before noon on
Wednesday,
June 13, 2012)
SUPPORT: Greenfield Union School District
Latino Coalition for a Healthy California
The Advancement Project
King City Police Department
OPPOSED: WALKSacramento