Re: [Ebbc-Talk] Fwd: Governor vetoes SB 1464, signs AB 819, AB 2245

Well, governor has a point re liability and crossing yellow line.  Why wasn't something worked out on that issue?  Anyways, might be better just to take the whole lane.  And if there is only one lane, let cars assume the risk of crossing the solid white or yellow line.


________________________________
 From: Alan Forkosh <[email protected]>
To: East Bay Bicycle Coalition <[email protected]> 
Sent: Friday, September 28, 2012 4:48 PM
Subject: [Ebbc-Talk] Fwd: Governor vetoes SB 1464, signs AB 819, AB 2245
 
This just in.

Alan Forkosh                    Oakland, CA
[email protected]
http://al4kosh.com



Begin forwarded message:

> From: Alan Wachtel <[email protected]>
> Subject: [CABOforum] Governor vetoes SB 1464, signs AB 819, AB 2245
> Date: September 28, 2012 4:27:35 PM PDT
> To: CABOforum <CABOforum-/[email protected]>
> Reply-To: [email protected]
> 
> Governor Brown has vetoed SB 1464, the three-foot passing bill authored by Senator Alan Lowenthal (D-Long Beach) and sponsored by the California Bicycle Coalition and the City of Los Angeles. His veto message says:
> 
>> I applaud the author's continuing work to improve bicycle safety. This bill requires motor vehicles to pass bicycles at a distance of at least three feet and expressly permits the vehicle to cross a double yellow line to do so.
>> 
>> Crossing a double yellow line is an inherently dangerous act that increases the risk of head-on collisions. When a collision occurs, it will result in a lawsuit where the state is likely to be sued as a "deep pocket." By making it legal to cross a double yellow line, the bill weakens the state's defense to these lawsuits.
>> 
>> Caltrans proposed a solution to insulate the state from costly lawsuits, while still providing the three-foot safety buffer for bicyclists. Unfortunately the author declined to amend the bill.
>> 
>> I encourage the sponsors to work with my administration to resolve the liability problem.
> 
> The governor signed AB 819, authored by Assembly Member Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont). This bill, co-sponsored by CBC and CABO, directs Caltrans to create an experimentation process for bicycle facility design. Such a procedure would allow local agencies to test nonstandard or innovative designs under controlled conditions, collecting data that could ultimately lead to modifications to the Caltrans Highway Design Manual. A process like this currently exists for traffic control devices (for all traffic), but not for geometric design of bicycle facilities.
> 
> The governor also signed AB 2245, by Assembly Member Cameron Smyth (R-Santa Clarita). This bill would exempt bicycle lanes striped on existing roads in urbanized areas from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review until 2018, provided that the project is consistent with a local bicycle transportation plan and the lead agency includes measures to mitigate potential traffic and safety impacts.
> 
> -- 
> Alan Wachtel
> Government Relations Director
> California Association of Bicycling Organizations
> Palo Alto, California
> 

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