March Updates to California Highways – Observations Along the Road

Well, better late than never. I just finished the March updates. This month’s updates are dedicated to the memory of Gary Araki, who died in late February 2008. Gary was a long-time contributor to this site, and provided me with a late 1950s Renee atlas of Southern California that has proved very useful. Gary was involved in the site “The Bus Stops Here“, and you can find a tribute to him on that site.

Processed backed up email changes, and based on my reading of the papers, some mailed in updates, and some updates from misc.transport.road, I updated information on the following routes, based on my research⁽¹⁾, and contributions of information on leads (via direct mail or Usenet) from James Bradley, Jr.⁽²⁾, Paul D. DeRocco⁽³⁾, Nathan Edgars II⁽⁴⁾, Jeff Gates⁽⁵⁾, C.A. Jencks⁽⁶⁾, Cameron Kaiser⁽⁷⁾, Carl Rogers⁽⁸⁾, honeywoney⁽⁹⁾, Len “Donutbandito”⁽¹⁰⁾: Route 1⁽⁹⁾, Route 4^(2,8), Route 14⁽³⁾, Route 52⁽⁶⁾, Route 81⁽⁴⁾, Route 259⁽⁷⁾, Route 371⁽⁶⁾, I-5⁽¹⁾, I-105⁽⁵⁾, I-215⁽¹⁾, I-405⁽¹⁾, US 101⁽¹⁾, Siskiyou County Route A28⁽¹⁰⁾

Updated the legislative information page. Over 1000 bills were introduced in the Assembly in just over 30 days. Noted the passage of the following:

ACR 63 (Keene) Lt. Leonard B. “Larry” Estes and Deputy William R. “Bill” Hunter Memorial Highway.
Designates Route 149 in Butte County as the “Lt. Leonard B. “Larry” Estes and Deputy William R. “Bill” Hunter Memorial Highway“
Chaptered 4/4/2008. Resolution Chapter 14

Updated the statistics on the progress of the exit mile numbering. Thanks to Don Howe of Caltrans for this information.

Reviewed the February and March CTC Summary and Web Books. I noted the following items for inclusion:

2.1a. Program Amendments/Project Approvals – STIP Amendments for Action

(February) (1) The Department proposes to amend the STIP designate Riverside County Transportation Commission as the Implementing Agency for Right of Way, and requests a TCRP Application Amendment to redistribute $1,019,000 in TCRP funding from PA&ED to R/W, and update the project funding plan for Route 91; add HOV lanes through downtown Riverside, Adams Street to Route 60/215 junction (PPNO 0092A/TCRP #62).

(February) (3) The Department proposes to amend TCRP Project #87.2 – Routes 94/125; build two new freeway connector ramps at Route 94/125 in Lemon Grove in San Diego County, to program $750,000 in new TCRP funding for R/W and update the project schedule and funding plan.

(March) (1) The Department proposes to amend the Corridor Mobility Improvement Account (CMIA) Program and TCRP Project #39 – Los Angeles-Route 405; add northbound HOV lane over Sepulveda Pass, Route 10 to Route 101 in Los Angeles County, to redistribute $7,000,000 in TCRP funds from PS&E to PA&ED and update the project schedule and funding plan.

2.1c. Traffic Congestion Relief (TCR) Program Application Approvals/Amendments

(February) (1) The Department, Solano County Transportation Authority and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission propose to amend the CMIA Program for I-80 HOV Lanes project (PPNO 8320B) to split the project into three construction contracts and extend the Construction Contract Acceptance milestone from December 2009 to December 2010. (Related Item under 55) Resolution CMIA-PA-0708-003

2.3a. Route Adoptions

(February) (1) Route Adoption: 1-Men-101-PM R44.9/49.0 Route 101 in the county of Mendocino. This is the new route for the Willits Bypass.

(February) (2) Route Redesignation: 1-Men-20-PM R33.1/R35.9 Redesignation of Route 101 to Route 20 in the county of Mendocino

2.3c. Relinquishment Resolutions

(February) 4-SCl-237-PM 8.0 Route 237 in the city of San Jose, at Zanker Road, consisting of relocated and reconstructed city streets.

(February) 6-Fre-180-PM 62.70 Route 180 in the county of Fresno, between Peach Avenue and Minnewawa Avenue, consisting of superseded highway right of way that is appurtenant to a previously relinquished superseded highway and was inadvertently omitted from said relinquishment.

(February) 8-Riv-74-PM 92.34/96.01 Route 74 in the city of Palm Desert, under terms and conditions as stated in the cooperative agreement, dated December 10, 2007, determined to be in the best interest of the State. Authorized by Chapter 594, Statutes of 2005, which amended Section 374 of the Streets and Highways Code.

(February) 10-Tuo-108-PM R2.06/R2.11 Route 108 in the city of Sonora, at Mono Way, between 0.15 miles west of Sanguinetti Road (Loop Road) and the easterly city limit line, consisting of superseded highway and collateral facilities.

(February) 11-SD-52-PM 12.6/13.3 Route 52 in the city of San Diego, at Sycamore Landfill Road northerly of Mast Boulevard, consisting of relocated and reconstructed city streets and frontage roads.

(March) 3-Pla-80-PM 0.5 Route 80 in the city of Roseville, on Riverside Avenue between Cirby Way and I-80.

(March) 4-CC-680-PM 16.8/R17.7 Route 680 in the city of Pleasant Hill, on North Main Street, Contra Costa Boulevard, and Monument Boulevard, between the southerly city limit line and north to Monument Boulevard, consisting of relocated and reconstructed city streets, frontage roads, and other State constructed local roads.

(March) 8-Riv-111-PM 38.02/40.71 Route 111 in the city of Palm Desert, under terms and conditions as stated in the cooperative agreement, dated December 10, 2007, determined to be in the best interest of the State. Authorized by Chapter 594, Statutes of 2005, which amended Section 411 of the Streets and Highways Code.

Of particular interest were some of the bills I uncovered:

AB
2256 (Duvall) Taxation: homeowners’ exemption and renters’
credit.
(1) Existing property tax law provides, pursuant to the
authority of a specified provision of the California Constitution, for a
homeowners’ exemption in the amount of $7,000 of the full value of a
“dwelling,” as defined, and authorizes the Legislature to increase this
exemption. This bill would, beginning with the lien date for the 2009-10 fiscal
year, increase the homeowners’ exemption from $7,000 to $75,000 of the full
value of a dwelling. This bill would also require, for the 2010-11 fiscal year
and for each fiscal year thereafter, the county assessor to adjust the amount
of the homeowners’ exemption by the percentage change, for the first 3 quarters
of the prior calendar year, in the Housing Price Index for California, as
specified.

(2) The California Constitution requires the Legislature, whenever
it increases the homeowners’ property tax exemption, to provide a comparable
increase in benefits to qualified renters. The Personal Income Tax Law
authorizes various credits against the taxes imposed by that law, including a
credit for qualified renters in the amount of $120 for married couples filing
joint returns, heads of household, and surviving spouses if adjusted gross
income is $50,000 or less, and in the amount of $60 for other individuals if
adjusted gross income is $25,000 or less. The adjusted gross income amounts are
adjusted annually for inflation based upon the California Consumer Price Index.
This bill would, for taxable years beginning on and after January 1, 2009,
increase this credit for a qualified renter to $1,286 for married couples
filing joint returns, heads of household, and surviving spouses if adjusted
gross income is $50,000 or less, as adjusted for inflation, and in an amount
equal to $643 for other individuals if adjusted gross income is $25,000 or
less, as adjusted for inflation. This bill would also require the Franchise Tax
Board to annually adjust for inflation, based upon the California Consumer
Price Index, the amount of these credits for the 2010 taxable year and for each
taxable year thereafter. This bill would also make technical, nonsubstantive
changes to the renters’ credit.
LAST HIST. ACT. DATE:
03/05/2008 LAST HIST. ACTION : Referred to Com. on REV. & TAX. COMM.
LOCATION : ASM REVENUE AND TAXATION HEARING DATE : 04/21/2008
AB
2321 (Feuer) Transportation funding: County of Los Angeles.
Existing law authorizes the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation
Authority (MTA) to impose, in addition to any other tax that it is authorized
to impose, a transactions and use tax at the rate of 0.5% for 61/2 years or
less, for the funding of specified transportation-related purposes designated
as capital projects or capital programs. Existing law conditions the imposition
of a tax under this authority upon voter approval as otherwise required by law.
It also prohibits the MTA from incurring bonded indebtedness payable from the
tax proceeds to fund those projects or programs or from substituting revenue
from the tax proceeds for current funding commitments to the projects or
programs. Existing law requires the MTA to prepare an expenditure plan prior to
submitting the tax ordinance to voters, describing the projects and programs
and their cost and funding sources. Existing law also creates the Capital
Project Development Fund, into which the tax revenue is to be deposited, and
makes those moneys available for expenditure by the MTA to fund the designated
projects and programs. This bill would modify these provisions to require the
MTA tax ordinance to specify that the tax is to be imposed for a period not to
exceed 30 years, and to require the MTA to include specified projects and
programs in its Long Range Transportation Plan. This bill would also authorize
the MTA to incur bonded indebtedness, as specified, and would make other
related changes.
LAST HIST. ACT. DATE: 03/05/2008 LAST
HIST. ACTION : Referred to Com. on TRANS. COMM. LOCATION : ASM TRANSPORTATION
HEARING DATE : 04/14/2008
AB
2388 (Feuer) Vehicles: registration fees.
Existing law
requires that a registration fee of $31 be paid to the Department of Motor
Vehicles for the registration of every vehicle or trailer coach of a type
subject to registration under the Vehicle Code, except those vehicles that are
expressly exempted under that code from the payment of registration fees.
Existing law also requires that additional fees be paid upon registration or
renewal of every vehicle for specified purposes and, beginning July 1, 2008,
increases the basic registration by $3. This bill would additionally impose for
the registration of a passenger vehicle (1) a weight fee for a vehicle operated
with an unladen vehicle weight of 10,000 pounds or less according to a
specified schedule and (2) a carbon dioxide (CO2) fee based on the pounds of
CO2 emitted by the vehicle. The bill would apply these provisions to all
original registrations on or after July 1, 2010, and to renewal of
registrations to vehicles with expiration dates on or after October 1, 2010.
The bill would exempt specified persons who are eligible for public assistance
from its provisions.
LAST HIST. ACT. DATE: 04/03/2008
LAST HIST. ACTION : Referred to Com. on TRANS. From committee chair, with
author’s amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on TRANS. Read second time and
amended. COMM. LOCATION : ASM TRANSPORTATION
AB
2558 (Feuer) Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation
Authority: climate change mitigation and adaptation fee.
Existing law
creates the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, with
specified powers and duties relative to transportation planning, programming,
and operations in the County of Los Angeles. This bill would authorize the
authority to impose a climate change mitigation and adaptation fee in the
County of Los Angeles, subject to approval of an ordinance by a majority of the
board of the authority and majority voter approval of a ballot measure
containing the fee and an expenditure plan. The bill would specify 2
alternative options for imposing the fee, which would be either a motor vehicle
fuel tax or a vehicle fee, subject to specified maximum amounts. Revenues from
the fee would be used for public transit and congestion management projects and
programs.
LAST HIST. ACT. DATE: 03/10/2008 LAST HIST.
ACTION : Referred to Coms. on TRANS. and L. GOV. COMM. LOCATION : ASM
TRANSPORTATION HEARING DATE : 04/14/2008
AB
2750 (Krekorian) Music piracy.
Existing law makes it a crime
for a person to fail to disclose the origin of a recording or audiovisual work
if the person advertises for sale or sells the work for commercial advantage or
private financial gain, as specified. This bill would require a person
convicted of a violation of that provision to make restitution to the owner or
lawful producer of the device from which the sound or audiovisual work was
derived, as specified.
LAST HIST. ACT. DATE: 03/13/2008
LAST HIST. ACTION : Referred to Coms. on A.,E.,S.,T. & I.M. and PUB. S.
COMM. LOCATION : ASM ARTS, ENTERTAIN, SPORTS, TOURISM, & INTERNET
MEDIA
AB
3039 (Benoit) High-occupancy vehicle lanes.
This bill would
require the department, at the request of a county transportation commission or
a regional transportation planning agency, to modify existing exclusive or
preferential lanes that are for buses and other high-occupancy vehicles within
the respective jurisdiction of the requesting entity to provide continuous
access to buses and other high-occupancy vehicles. The bill would encourage the
department to move these modifications in conjunction with planned restriping
projects.
LAST HIST. ACT. DATE: 03/13/2008 LAST HIST.
ACTION : Referred to Com. on TRANS. COMM. LOCATION : ASM
TRANSPORTATION

And now, it is off to the theatre…