BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �






           SENATE TRANSPORTATION & HOUSING COMMITTEE       BILL NO: ab 1957
          SENATOR MARK DESAULNIER, CHAIRMAN              AUTHOR:  dickinson
                                                         VERSION: 3/6/14
          Analysis by:  Eric Thronson                    FISCAL:  yes
          Hearing date:  June 17, 2014



          SUBJECT:

          Relinquishment of State Highway Route 16

          DESCRIPTION:

          This bill authorizes the California Transportation Commission  
          (CTC) to relinquish segments of State Route (SR) 16 in the City  
          of Sacramento as well as in the unincorporated portion of  
          Sacramento County.

          ANALYSIS:

          Existing law:

           Identifies the California state highway system through a  
            description of segments of the state's regional and  
            interregional roads that are owned and operated by the  
            Department of Transportation (Caltrans).

           Defines a "state highway" as any roadway that is acquired,  
            laid out, constructed, improved, or maintained as a state  
            highway according to legislative authorization.

           Specifies that it is the intent of the Legislature for the  
            routes of the state highway system to connect the communities  
            and regions of the state and that they serve the state's  
            economy by connecting centers of commerce, industry,  
            agriculture, mineral wealth, and recreation.

           Provides a two-step process for the state to expand or delete  
            a section of the state highway system that begins with the  
            Legislature amending existing law and then CTC making findings  
            that it is in the best interest of the state to include or  
            delete a specified portion of roadway from the system.

           This bill  :





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           Authorizes CTC to relinquish to the City of Sacramento the  
            portion of SR 16 within its city limits, upon terms and  
            conditions approved by CTC.  

           Authorizes CTC to relinquish to Sacramento County the portion  
            of SR 16 within the unincorporated area of the county that is  
            east of the City of Sacramento and west of Watt Avenue, upon  
            terms and conditions approved by CTC.  

           Provides that the relinquishment will become effective the  
            date following the county recordation of the relinquishment  
            resolution.
           Specifies that following the effective date of relinquishment,  
            the relinquished segment will no longer be a state highway and  
            may not be considered for future adoption as a state highway.   


           Requires the City of Sacramento and Sacramento County to: 

             o    Ensure the continuity of traffic flow, including any  
               traffic signal progression, and to provide signage  
               directing motorists to the continuation of SR 16. 

             o    Maintain the federal Surface Transportation Assistance  
               Act truck route designation for SR 16.
          
          COMMENTS:

           1.Purpose .  According to the author, local and regional plans  
            include a major concentration of new development along the  
            corridor that will transform SR 16, also known as Jackson  
            Highway or Jackson Road, into a route of both interregional  
            and local significance.  At this time, however, the state does  
            not have the resources to improve SR 16, nor does it have any  
            plans to do so.  The author argues that without this bill, any  
            road improvement process would be cumbersome, inefficient, and  
            expensive because Caltrans would need to be involved in the  
            review and approval process.  This bill enables the local  
            governments to convert the SR 16 corridor from a state highway  
            to an urban arterial consistent with local and regional  
            transportation plans.

           2.Relinquishments  .  Each session, the Legislature passes and the  
            governor signs numerous bills authorizing CTC to relinquish  
            segments of the state highway system to local jurisdictions.   
            Relinquishment transactions are generally preceded by a  




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            negotiation of terms and conditions between the local  
            jurisdiction and Caltrans.  Once an agreement has been  
            established, CTC typically approves the relinquishment and  
            verifies its approval via a resolution.  Relinquishments can  
            be win-win as they provide recipient agencies with greater  
            control over a local segment of the state highway system and  
            relieve Caltrans of any further responsibility to improve,  
            maintain, or repair the segment.
          
          Assembly Votes:

               Floor:77-0
               Appr: 17-0
               Trans:15-0
               
          POSITIONS:  (Communicated to the committee before noon on  
          Wednesday,                                             June 11,  
          2014.)

               SUPPORT:  City of Sacramento
                         Sacramento Area Council of Governments
                         Sacramento County Board of Supervisors

               OPPOSED:  None received.