BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    




                    Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
          
                                           667 (Peace)
          
          Hearing Date:  5/24/01          Amended: 5/22/01       
          Consultant:  Anne Maitland          Policy Vote: Trans:  
          12-0          
          ____________________________________________________________ 
          ___
          BILL SUMMARY: 
          SB 667 requires that yellow lights on traffic signals  
          operate at intervals specified in the Caltrans Traffic  
          Manual if the traffic signals are at intersections where  
          red light cameras are used.

                              Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
           Major Provisions        2001-02             2002-03               2003-04   
           Fund  
          Yellow light intervals                           200+                 
            30-170           General
                                                  
          STAFF COMMENTS:  

          This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense  
          file.   It imposes a reimbursable state mandate on those  
          local governments which currently do not follow the  
          Caltrans Traffic Manual standards.  The local traffic  
          department must send out personnel to manually re-key the  
          interval length at the controller located at each  
          intersection with an automated enforcement system.  The  
          cost estimates shown above are based on mandate  
          reimbursements arising from legislation which required new  
          traffic signals to have two-way traffic signal  
          communication capabilities.  The Commission on State  
          Mandates allowed reimbursement a variety of costs,  
          including the direct and indirect costs of labor and  
          supplies for preparing work orders and revising local  
          procedures manuals.
          
          Current law authorizes, but does not require, local  
          governments to install automated enforcement systems at  
          intersections.  These so-called "red light cameras" take  
          photographs of a vehicle's driver and license plate when a  
          driver ignores a traffic control signal.

          Caltrans publishes a Traffic Manual which sets standards  










          for traffic control devices.  However, local agencies are  
          not required to conform to these standards.

          This bill requires that the yellow signal on a traffic  
          light in an intersection with automated enforcement systems  
          be regulated according to the Caltrans Traffic Manual.  The  
          manual requires that the yellow signal be lit for specified  
          intervals depending on the posted speed limit - e.g., at 25  
          mph, the yellow signal must be illuminated for 3 seconds,  
          at 45 mph, the interval must be 4.3 seconds.

          Staff suggests an amendment to allow red light cameras to  
          be installed on or after 1/1/02 only if they meet the  
          yellow light intervals specified in this bill.  This change  
          should eliminate a reimbursable mandate for yellow light  
          intervals on new red light camera installations.