BILL ANALYSIS �
SENATE TRANSPORTATION & HOUSING COMMITTEE BILL NO: acr 145
SENATOR MARK DESAULNIER, CHAIRMAN AUTHOR: Achadjian
VERSION: 5/5/14
Analysis by: Mark Stivers FISCAL: yes
Hearing date: August 5, 2014
SUBJECT:
Directional signs to the Faces of Freedom Veterans Memorial
DESCRIPTION:
This resolution requests that Caltrans erect signs on State
Route 101 in the City of Atascadero directing motorists to the
Faces of Freedom Veterans Memorial.
ANALYSIS:
Existing law assigns the Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
the responsibility of operating and maintaining the state
highway system, including the installation and maintenance of
highway signs. In administering its duties, Caltrans has
developed guidelines to use when considering whether to erect
non-required signage along the state's highways, or what
Caltrans refers to as "supplemental destination signage."
Supplemental destination signs give information to motorists
regarding the location of specific destinations such as
historical sites, cultural centers, and tourist attractions
which are accessible from an upcoming highway exit. Caltrans
has established specific qualifying criteria for certain
destinations considered traffic generators, for example:
Post-secondary schools (public or private) with a minimum
enrollment of 1,000 students each week
Museums, zoos, stadiums, and sports arenas (publicly owned and
nonprofit) with a minimum of one million in annual attendance
Convention centers (publicly owned) with a minimum of 500,000
in annual attendance
Fairgrounds (publicly owned and operated) with a minimum of
500,000 in annual attendance
Governmental centers with a 5,000 minimum number of employees
The operative theory regarding these criteria is that only those
ACR 145 (ACHADJIAN) Page 2
facilities that generate a substantial amount of traffic should
receive highway signing. For destinations for which attendance
criteria are not specifically identified in its manual, Caltrans
considers destination signs only when "unusual operational or
safety issues become apparent that would be mitigated by
signing."
This resolution requests that Caltrans determine the cost of
appropriate directional signs and, consistent with the signing
requirements for the state highway system and upon receiving
donations from nonstate sources sufficient to cover the cost,
erect such signs on State Route 101 at its intersection with
westbound State Route 41 in the City of Atascadero, directing
motorists to the Faces of Freedom Veterans Memorial.
COMMENTS:
1.Purpose of the resolution . According to the author, Caltrans
has criteria for supplemental directional signs for facilities
such as schools, museums, zoos, and convention centers, but
not for veterans' memorials. Directing motorists to the Faces
of Freedom Veterans Memorial will further the purpose of
honoring all the brave men and women who fought to protect the
people of California and the United States.
2.Traffic management or free advertising ? The primary purpose
of destination signage is traffic management. As Caltrans'
guidelines suggest, supplemental directional signage is most
appropriate when the destination generates enough traffic to
justify the signs. Otherwise, the highway may become glutted
with signs, and this proliferation will divert attention away
from signs containing critical safety (e.g., construction
ahead) and regulatory (e.g., speed limit) information. The
current standards require museums, the most similar type of
facility to the Faces of Freedom Veterans Memorial, to
generate annual attendance of at least 1 million. Other
public facilities require annual attendance of at least
500,000. The author's office was unable to provide attendance
figures for the Faces of Freedom Veterans Memorial, but
presumably it is significantly below either of these
thresholds. The committee may wish to consider whether this
resolution facilitates traffic management or simply provides
free advertising for the memorial on the state highway system.
3.Previous efforts . In 2012, Caltrans' Committee on Uniform
Traffic Control Devices (CUTCD) wrestled with setting guidance
for the placement of supplemental destination signs for
ACR 145 (ACHADJIAN) Page 3
veterans' memorial monuments. Ultimately, the CUTCD could not
resolve the issue, and supplemental destination signs to
monuments are not currently authorized. It should be noted
that legislative requests for supplemental destination signs
that do not comply with Caltrans' standards are not without
precedent, and Caltrans typically complies with these
requests. These requests, in the form of non-binding
resolutions, include:
The Paramount Hay Tree (SCR 48 [Lowenthal], Resolution
Chapter 118, 2006)
The Wall Las Memorias Project AIDS Monument (SCR 3
[Cedillo], Resolution Chapter 102, 2007)
The Armenian Genocide Martyrs Monument (ACR 148,
[Charles Calderon], Resolution Chapter 10, 2010)
The Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of
America (ACR 126 [Charles Calderon]), Resolution Chapter
99, 2012)
It should also be noted, however, that Governor Schwarzenegger
vetoed the one recent request contained within a bill, AB 2234
(Strickland) of 2006. His veto message stated that the World
War II Aviation Museum's annual attendance did not fulfill
Caltrans' established criteria and that granting a special
exemption for the museum would unfairly disadvantage the many
other equally worthy organizations that would not get their
own signage.
Assembly Votes:
Floor: 75-0
Appr: 15-0
Trans: 16-0
RELATED LEGISLATION:
SB 842 (Knight) requires Caltrans to erect directional signs to
each veterans' home upon receiving funds from nonstate sources
sufficient to cover the cost. In the Assembly Appropriations
Committee.
POSITIONS: (Communicated to the committee before noon on
Wednesday, July 30,
2014.)
SUPPORT: City of Atascadero
ACR 145 (ACHADJIAN) Page 4
Purple Heart Trail Committee of the Marine Corps
League #680
Veterans Caucus of the California Democratic
Party
One individual
OPPOSED: None received.