California Senate Bill SB811 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: SB 811AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 6, 2013 AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 3, 2013 INTRODUCED BY Senator Lara FEBRUARY 22, 2013 An act to add Section 103.1 to the Streets and Highways Code, relating to transportation. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 811, as amended, Lara. State Highway Route 710. Existing law provides that the Department of Transportation has full possession and control of the state highway system. Existing law imposes various requirements for the development and implementation of transportation projects. This bill would impose various additional requirements on the department  , or on another agency, if that agency agrees to assume responsibility as the lead agency  with respect to the  proposed program of improvements for the State Highway Route 710 Corridor   I-710 expansion project  in the County of Los Angeles  from State Highway Route 60 in East Los Angeles to Ocean Boulevard in Long Beach  . The bill would require the  department, in conjunction with various other entities, to, among other things, develop and implement a comprehensive public transportation plan, create and implement a comprehensive pedestrian and bicycle improvements element, implement certain improvement programs and projects relative to the Los Angeles River and certain tributaries, provide various community benefits to schools and other facilities, and engage in certain job training, workforce development, and targeted hiring activities. The bill would require the department to allocate $3,000,000 annually from project funds for job training during the life of the Route 710 Corridor project, subject to appropriation by the Legislature   lead agency, in consultation with all interested community organizations, to consider, within the environmental review process for the project, alternatives to address the air quality, public health, and mo   bility impacts the project will have on neighboring communities. The bill would require the final environmental document approved by the lead agency to include an investment in identified mitigation measures for the affected   communities of not less than 10 percent of the total project costs. The bill would require the lead agency to submit a report in that regard to the Legislature at least 90 days prior to approving the final environmental document for the project  . The bill would make legislative findings and declarations. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  no   yes  . State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 103.1 is added to the Streets and Highways Code, to read: 103.1. (a) As used in this section, the following terms have the following meanings: (1) "I-710  expansion  project" means the proposed program of improvements to the State Highway Route 710 Corridor in the County of Los Angeles within the State Highway Route 710 Corridor project study area  , which extends from State Highway Route 60 in East Los Angeles to Ocean Boulevard in Long Beach. The I-710 expansion project does not include any extension of State Highway Route 710 through South Pasadena from State Highway Route 10 to State Highway   Route 210  .  (2) "Lead agency" means the department, unless another agency agrees to assume responsibility as the lead agency for the I-710 expansion project under the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code), in which case "lead agency" means that other agency.   (2)   (3)  "Los Angeles River" or "river" means the Los Angeles River within the State Highway Route 710 Corridor project study area, including the adjacent tributaries of Compton Creek and Rio Hondo. (b) The Legislature finds and declares that the proposed I-710  expansion  project is a project of national significance that is intended to expand capacity on State Highway Route 710 in the County of Los Angeles to accommodate the movement of freight from and to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, thereby providing economic benefits in the region and beyond. However, the I-710  expansion  project, as proposed, will have adverse public health, air quality, and quality-of-life impacts on residents residing near the corridor from East Los Angeles to Long Beach.  (c) The department, in coordination with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and service councils within the project's vicinity, shall, as part of the I-710 project, develop and implement a comprehensive public transportation plan for the corridor. The plan shall be aligned with the goals of Assembly Bill 32 (Chapter 488, Statutes of 2006) and Senate Bill 375 (Chapter 728, Statutes of 2008) of reducing greenhouse gases by reducing vehicle miles traveled and increasing public transit use and active transportation. The plan shall incorporate local Safe Routes to School programs and pedestrian and bicycle plans to safely connect communities. In addition, the plan, at a minimum, shall do all of the following:   (1) Add bus shuttles from the affected communities to transit centers.   (2) Expand rail transit service on the Metro Blue and Green Lines.   (3) Expand local, express, and Metro Rapid bus services.   (4) Enhance community bus service, such as local circulator routes in the Cities of Long Beach, Commerce, and Paramount.   (d) The department shall include a comprehensive pedestrian and bicycle improvement element as part of the I-710 project. This element shall be developed in conjunction with local agencies and interested private organizations, and shall consist of the projects as provided in paragraphs (1) and (2). The elements shall be consistent with the department's complete streets policies, including Department of Transportation Deputy Directive 64-R1, "Complete Streets -- Integrating the Transportation System." The element shall build upon any existing efforts to identify bicycle and walkability improvements, and be integrated and coordinated with any existing bicycle and pedestrian plans of cities within the corridor. The elements shall include all of the following projects:   (1) Community improvements consisting of the following:   (A) Bridges designed for the sole use of pedestrians and bicycles that cross the freeway at one-quarter to one-half-mile intervals and are connected with existing or new pedestrian and bicycle facilities on either side of the freeway.   (B) Implementation of best design practices to ensure that roadways are safe for use by pedestrians and bicyclists at on- and off-ramps to the freeway and adjoining intersections within the I-710 project area. All intersections and crossings within the I-710 project shall be consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 12101 et seq.) requirements to facilitate access for the disabled.   (C) Repair and improvement of existing trails, bicycle paths, and sidewalks within the I-710 project area, including enhanced lighting, signage, signalization, widening, and separation from vehicle traffic, as appropriate. This requirement shall apply both to facilities within the Route 710 right-of-way and to overcrossings, arterials, and intersections that are part of the I-710 project, and shall include trails, bicycle paths, and sidewalks that connect with, or are along, the Los Angeles River.   (D) Construction of new pedestrian and bicycle paths and routes within the Route 710 right-of-way and with respect to overcrossings, arterials, and intersections that are part of the I-710 project. The new facilities shall be connected to existing facilities wherever possible. Extension of the Los Angeles River shared-use path shall be included, with the intent that the path serve as the spine of an enhanced regional pedestrian and bicycle network.   (2) Support of new pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure within the project area consisting of all of the following:   (A) Installation of bicycle parking at public and commercial destinations.   (B) Construction of new class I, II, and III bicycle routes.   (C) Adequate striping of bicycle lanes.   (D) Promotion of projects that safely and effectively connect pedestrians and bicyclists to public transit in order to encourage the use of public transit.   (E) Promotion of neighborhood routes, also known as "bike boulevards," with features such as traffic circles.   (F) Transformation of existing underutilized railroad and utility rights-of-way into separated pedestrian and bicycle paths.   (e) (1) The department shall develop a collaborative with federal, state, and local agencies and stakeholder organizations to fund and implement the improvement projects described in paragraphs (2) and (3) relating to the Los Angeles River within the I-710 project area. River improvements shall include restoration of the natural river functions, improved bicycle and walking trail networks, and protection from runoff pollution. The department shall include river improvements as part of the I-710 project.   (2) Improvement projects to restore the natural river shall include projects that:   (A) Increase, enhance, and maintain recreational trails.   (B) Restore, enhance, and maintain associated wetlands.   (C) Allow for continuous fish migration along the river.   (D) Increase, enhance, and maintain native landscaping.   (3) Improvement projects to provide neighborhood access to the river shall remove barriers to neighborhood access to the river, including providing improved bicycle and walking trail networks between greenbelts, local parks, and the river.   (f) The department shall include the following mitigation and community measures as part of the I-710 project in order to ensure that affected communities are vibrant and healthy:   (1) Healthy schools projects to protect the health of children and improve schools and mitigation for schools, which shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:   (A) Creation of pedestrian and streetscape improvements to facilitate safe access to schools, to be coordinated with the comprehensive pedestrian and bicycle improvements element of the I-710 project.   (B) Use of green and energy-efficient building materials and systems in school facilities.   (C) Planting of trees along school property lines to mitigate noise and air pollution.   (D) Constructing sound walls on Route 710 within the project area near affected schools sufficient to mitigate noise impacts down to a maximum of 45 dB(A) inside classrooms.   (E) Installation of air filtration systems in school facilities pursuant to paragraph (2).   (F) Any other mitigation measures necessary to protect school children from the impacts of noise, pollution, land encroachments, and other nuisances related to the construction of the Route-710 project and its future operation.   (2) Air filtration projects coordinated with the South Coast Air Quality Management District to ensure that homes, schools, and public buildings within 500 meters of the I-710 project and major arterials impacted by the I-710 project are equipped with register systems and high-performance panel filter air filtration systems, or systems of equivalent effectiveness.   (3) Tree and streetscape projects to provide for the greening of public and shared spaces and thereby provide for the community well-being, including new tree planting, protection of existing trees, and landscape improvements in order to mitigate noise, emissions, and other nuisances from the Route 710 corridor and to promote desirability for walking along sidewalks, parkways, and medians.   (4) Traffic and parking mitigation measures, both during construction and subsequent operation of the I-710 project, including management of truck parking in residential neighborhoods and a traffic management plan that includes, but is not limited to, traffic signal upgrades, traffic control measures, and traffic calming.   (5) (A) Job training programs, including preapprenticeship programs.   (B) The department shall allocate from project funds three million dollars ($3,000,000) per year for the life of construction of the I-710 project for the purposes of this paragraph. Any funds remaining unspent in a given fiscal year shall be available in the subsequent year. The funds shall be subject to appropriation by the Legislature.   (C) The department shall also implement a work experience program to be used by its contractors on the I-710 project, with specific targeting of opportunities for placement to workers residing in the I-710 project area or targeted workers to the extent permissible by law.   (D) Enrollment opportunities in job training programs primarily funded pursuant to this paragraph shall be predominantly made available to low-income individuals that have resided within the I-710 project area for at least one year, special needs individuals, and targeted workers.   (E) Job training programs shall include job readiness programs, skills development, career ladder programs, incumbent worker training, and other similar programs.   (F) As used in this paragraph, "targeted worker" means an individual whose primary residence is in an extremely economically disadvantaged area anywhere in the United States, or a disadvantaged worker from anywhere in the United States.   (G) The department shall require its contractors to comply with targeted hiring requirements under which 40 percent of all hours of project work are allocated on a priority basis to targeted workers, with priority to be given to residents of extremely economically disadvantaged areas until the available pool of those workers is exhausted, and thereafter to any targeted worker. The department shall require its contractors to allocate a minimum of 10 percent of all hours of project work to disadvantaged workers. The department shall require its contractors to allocate a minimum of 20 percent of all hours of project work to apprentices, with 50 percent of all apprenticeship hours to be performed by targeted workers.   (g) (1) The department shall allocate funding from the I-710 project budget for the purposes of subdivisions (d) and (e) to participating agencies and organizations based on a competitive application process, under which each applicant's proposal is evaluated for its nexus to the I-710 project. A project proposal may be submitted for project design, scoping, environmental study, construction, operations, or education, or more than one of these phases. Priority shall be given to "shovel-ready" projects.   (2) Each local agency participating with the department in the implementation of subdivisions (d) or (e) shall have drafted and adopted a pedestrian and bicycle master plan that reflects local conditions and priorities, and that facilitates regional connectivity.   (c) The lead agency, in consultation with all interested community organizations, shall consider, within the environmental review process, alternatives to address the air quality, public health, and mobility impacts the I-710 expansion project will have on neighboring communities.   (d) The final environmental document approved by the lead agency for the I-710 expansion project shall include an investment in identified mitigation measures for the affected communities, including the Los Angeles River, of not less than 10 percent of the total project costs.   (e) At least 90 days prior to approving the final environmental document for the I-710 expansion project, the lead agency shall submit a report to the Legislature describing the identified mitigation measures that will be included in the project and providing evidence of meeting the requirements of this section. The report shall be submitted pursuant to Section 9795 of the Government Code.