BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 1193
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Date of Hearing: August 27, 2014
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
Bonnie Lowenthal, Chair
AB 1193 (Ting) - As Amended: August 21, 2014
SUBJECT : Bikeways
SUMMARY : Requires the Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
to develop minimum safety design criteria for cycle tracks and
authorizes local governments to deviate from Caltrans' design
criteria for bikeways under specified conditions. Specifically,
this bill :
1)Creates a new class of bikeways, called cycle tracks or
separated bikeways, and defines them as bikeways that provide
a right-of-way designated exclusively for bicycle travel
adjacent to a roadway and that are protected from vehicular
traffic.
2)Requires Caltrans to establish minimum safety design criteria
for cycle tracks.
3)Authorizes local agencies to utilize minimum safety design
criteria other than those established by Caltrans if all the
following conditions are met:
a) The alternative criteria have been reviewed and approved
by a qualified engineer with consideration for the unique
characteristics and features of the proposed bikeway;
b) The alternative criteria, or the description of the
project with reference to the alternative criteria, are
adopted by resolution at a public meeting; and,
c) The alternative criteria adhere to guidelines
established by a national association of public agency
transportation officials.
4)Requires Caltrans to establish design criteria for cycle
tracks by January 1, 2016.
5)Requires Caltrans, in establishing minimum design criteria for
bikeways, to consider the safety of vulnerable populations,
such as children, seniors, persons with impaired vision, and
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persons with limited mobility and to consult with its existing
advisory committee dedicated to improving access for persons
with disabilities in establishing design criteria for
bikeways.
6)Deletes existing law requiring Caltrans to establish
procedures for local agencies to obtain an exception from
utilizing Caltrans' design criteria for bikeways for purposes
of research, experimentation, testing, evaluation, or
verification.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Defines "bikeways" as all facilities that provide primarily
for bicycle travel and categorizes them as follows:
a) Class I bikeways, also known as "bike paths" or
"shared-use paths," which provide a completely separated
right-of-way designated for the exclusive use of bicycles
and pedestrians with crossflows by motorists minimized;
b) Class II bikeways, also known as "bike lanes," which
provide a restricted right-of-way designated for the
exclusive or semi-exclusive use of bicycles with through
travel by motor vehicles or pedestrians prohibited, but
with vehicle parking and crossflows by pedestrians and
motorists permitted; and,
c) Class III bikeways, also known as onstreet or offstreet
"bike routes," which provide a right-of-way designated by
signs or permanent markings and shared with pedestrians and
motorists.
2)Requires Caltrans, in cooperation with cities and counties, to
establish minimum safety design criteria for the planning and
construction of bikeways.
3)Requires all city, county, regional, and other local agencies
responsible for the development or operation of bikeways or
roadways where bicycle travel is permitted to utilize all
minimum safety design criteria and uniform specifications and
symbols for signs, markers, and traffic control devices as
adopted by Caltrans.
4)Required Caltrans, by June 30, 2013, to establish procedures
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to permit exceptions to the above requirement for purposes of
research, experimentation, testing, evaluation, or
verification.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 77.2, negligible state costs.
COMMENTS : Under existing law, Caltrans is responsible for
establishing minimum safety design criteria for the planning and
construction of bikeways and roadways where bicycle travel is
permitted. These criteria are contained within the California
Highway Design Manual (HDM). Caltrans additionally establishes
uniform specifications and symbols for signs, markers, and
traffic control devices to designate bikeways, regulate traffic,
improve safety and convenience for bicyclists, and alert
pedestrians and motorists of the presence of bicyclists where
bicycle travel is permitted. Caltrans adopts these
specifications, along with standards for all traffic control
devices, in the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control
Devices (MUTCD).
All local agencies responsible for the development or operation
of bikeways or roadways where bicycle travel is permitted must
utilize Caltrans adopted design criteria and specifications as
contained in the HDM and MUTCD. Cities and counties can apply
for a design exception from Caltrans to install bikeways that do
not meet Caltrans' standards, but local governments complain that
the process is cumbersome and time-consuming. In contrast,
cities and counties may, but are not required to, utilize the HDM
when designing local streets and roads.
In January 2014, the Smart State Transportation Initiative
(SSTI), an independent organization composed of transportation
experts, former state transportation chief executives, and
academic researchers, released a review of Caltrans management,
operations, and organizational culture. The study was
commissioned by the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency
(the predecessor of the State Transportation Agency). A key
recommendation of the report was that the "department should
support, or propose if no bill is forthcoming, legislation to
end the archaic practice of imposing state rules on local
streets for bicycle facilities."
Cycle tracks, also referred to as protected bike lanes, are a
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type of bike lane that is part of the road but physically
separated from vehicle traffic in some way. Common in some parts
of Europe, the construction of cycle tracks is on the rise in the
United States (U.S.). In 2011, there were an estimated 62 cycle
tracks across the country. That number has now risen to at least
102 in 32 U.S. cities, with over 100 more planned in 2013.
Several California cities have installed cycle tracks, including
Long Beach, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
This bill allows local governments to deviate from state criteria
when designing bikeways, but does not give them complete control.
Cities and counties that elect to use design criteria not
contained within the HDM would have to ensure that the
alternative criteria have been reviewed and approved by a
qualified engineer, are adopted by resolution at a public
meeting, and adhere to guidelines established by a national
association of public agency transportation officials, such as
the National Association of City Transportation Officials
(NACTO).
This bill also adds cycle tracks as a fourth class of bikeways
and requires Caltrans to establish minimum safety design
criteria for them by 2016. Finally, this bill requires Caltrans
to consider the safety of children, seniors and other vulnerable
populations in establishing bikeway design criteria and consult
with its advisory committee on improving access for persons with
disabilities.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
California Bicycle Coalition (source)
American Academy of Pediatrics, California District IX
Bike East Bay
California Park and Recreation Society
Cities of Long Beach, Los Angeles, and San Jose
Inland Empire Biking Alliance
Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition
Napa County Bicycle Coalition
Napa County Transportation Planning Agency
Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates
San Diego County Bicycle Coalition
San Francisco Bicycle Coalition
San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency
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Shasta Living Streets
Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition
Silicon Valley Leadership Group
Women on Bikes California
Opposition
California Association of Bicycling Organizations
Analysis Prepared by : Anya Lawler / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093