BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  SB 415
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   August 8, 2012

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Felipe Fuentes, Chair

                     SB 415 (Price) - As Amended:  June 26, 2012 

          Policy Committee:                              
          TransportationVote:13-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program: 
          No     Reimbursable:               

           SUMMARY  

          This bill authorizes the California Transportation Commission 
          (CTC), upon finding it would be in the state's best interest, to 
          relinquish park-and-ride lots to a county transportation 
          commission or regional transportation planning agency if 
          Caltrans enters into an agreement with the local entity 
          providing for the relinquishment.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Caltrans indicates that local jurisdictions frequently seek 
          concessions-typically future maintenance funds as well as 
          upfront rehabilitation from the department-as part of 
          relinquishment agreements. Depending on the number of 
          park-and-ride lots relinquished to local agencies and the 
          condition of those lots, potential one-time special fund costs 
          could exceed $150,000, depending on the outcome of negotiations 
          between Caltrans and local entities and a determination that any 
          relinquishment is in the state's best interest. �State Highway 
          Account]

          Ongoing savings to Caltrans from reduced maintenance and 
          rehabilitation costs for relinquished park-and-ride lots.

           COMMENTS  

           Background and Purpose  . Several bills are typically enacted each 
          legislative session authorizing the CTC to relinquish segments 
          of the state highway segments to local jurisdictions.  
          Relinquishment transactions are generally preceded by a 
          negotiation of terms and conditions between the local 








                                                                  SB 415
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          jurisdiction and Caltrans.  Once an agreement has been 
          established, CTC typically approves the relinquishment and 
          verifies its approval via a resolution.  The final step is for 
          the Legislature to delete statutory references to the 
          relinquished highway segments.  

          State highway relinquishments provide recipient agencies with 
          greater control over a local transportation segment and relieve 
          Caltrans of any further responsibility to improve, maintain, or 
          repair it. SB 415, unlike typical relinquishment bills, provides 
          blanket authority for relinquishment of park-and-ride lots, 
          under specified conditions.  

          This bill is sponsored by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan 
          Transportation Authority (Metro), which seeks to assume 
          ownership, as well as maintenance and operations, of the 
          park-and-ride lots as part of its efforts to promote public 
          transit ridership.  Some of its planned improvements include 
          leasing spaces to increase activity in the lots, better 
          advertising and signage to manage parking amongst different 
          lots, and increased security and improved maintenance to 
          encourage greater utilization of the lots.

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081