Regulatory Setting
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TRANSPORTATION AND CIRCULATION | 3 Regulatory Setting Federal Safe and Complete Streets Act of 2011 (HR 1780 & S 1056) On May 5, 2011, Representatives Matsui and LaTourette of California introduced HR 1780, the Safe and Complete Streets Act of 2011, on the U.S. House floor. On May 24, 2011, Senator Harkin of Iowa and several other senators introduced a companion bill, S 1056, on the U.S. Senate floor. These bills were crafted to ensure that all users of the transportation system, including bicyclists, pedestrians, children, transit users, older adults, and disabled people, are able to travel safely and conveniently on the nation’s roadways. At present, the bills remain in committee awaiting approval to be reviewed by their respective whole legislative bodies. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) legislation prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. Other Federal laws which affect the design, construction, alteration, and operation of facilities include the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) of 1968 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. These laws apply to all Federally-funded facilities. The ADA applies to facilities, both public (Title II) and private (Title III), which are not Federally-funded. Newly constructed and altered facilities covered by Titles II and III of the ADA must be readily accessible to and usable by people with disabilities. In July 1999, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) issued an Accessibility Policy Statement pledging a fully accessible and multimodal transportation system. Accessibility in Federally-assisted programs is governed by the USDOT regulations (49 CFR part 27) implementing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. 794). State California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices Caltrans adopted the 2012 California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (California MUTCD) to provide uniform standards and specifications for all official traffic control devices in California. This action was taken pursuant to the provisions of California Vehicle Code Section 21400 and the recommendation of the California Traffic Control Devices Committee (CTCDC). The CTCDC has requested and received a letter to confirm substantial conformance from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for the 2012 California MUTCD. Public Review Draft Existing Conditions Report Page 3-63 Page 3-63 October 2015 SIA PLAN UPDATE California Vehicle Code The California Vehicle Code was most recently updated in January 2015. The code contains state statutes governing vehicle ownership, registration, and operation. Bicycles are one classification of vehicle that is defined and regulated by this legislation. California Complete Streets Act of 2008 On September 30, 2008, Governor Schwarzenegger signed Assembly Bill (AB) 1358, the California Complete Streets Act of 2008. Complete streets are characterized in the act in terms of a “balanced, multimodal transportation network.” Upon any substantive revision of the circulation element of their general plans, local jurisdictions are required by this law to plan for a network that “meets the needs of all users of streets, roads, and highways, defined to include motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists, children, persons with disabilities, seniors, movers of commercial goods, and users of public transportation, in a manner that is suitable to the rural, suburban, or urban context of the general plan” (Gov. Code § 65302(b)). California Streets and Highways Code (Section 890-894.2) This section of California Code is also known as the California Bicycle Transportation Act. This legislation establishes the responsibilities of State and local agencies with regard to bicycle safety, signage, traffic control, right-of-way, and other matters related to non-motorized and particularly bicycle transportation. The California Bicycle Act establishes minimum efforts in data collection and planning that local government must accomplish to remain compliant. The State also maintains a State Transportation Fund allocation called the Bikeway Account. These funds are dedicated to the construction and maintenance of bicycle facilities. Local Placer County General Plan The County General Plan provides goals, policies, and implementation programs for non- motorized transportation (Goal 3.D and 5.D) to provide a safe, comprehensive, and integrated system of facilities for non-motorized modes of transportation. Sunset Industrial Area Plan The Sunset Industrial Area Plan was developed to address the issues affecting the development of the Sunset Industrial Area which was set aside for industrial development. The 1997 plan’s circulation plan diagram depicted the functional classification of existing and proposed streets, roadways, and highways in the Sunset Industrial Area. The plan refined and implemented the goals and polices of the Placer County General Plan. Page 3-64 Public Review Draft Existing Conditions Report October 2015 TRANSPORTATION AND CIRCULATION | 3 The Placer County Regional Transportation Plan and Sacramento Area Council of Governments Metropolitan Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy The Placer County Transportation Planning Agency (PCTPA) developed and adopted the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). As the forum for making decisions about the regional transportation system in Placer County, the PCTPA develops and adopts various plans and strategies that serve to not only make the best use of State and Federal transportation funds, but also to fulfill the requirements of the agency’s State designation as the Regional Transportation Planning Agency (RTPA) for Placer County. Regional Transportation Plan documents the policy direction, actions, and funding recommendations that are intended to meet the short- and long- range transportation needs of Placer County. The PCTPA is part of a larger metropolitan planning jurisdiction (El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo, and Yuba Counties), which is coordinated by SACOG. The PCTPA’s two most recent RTPs are incorporated into SACOG’s regional planning processes through the 2012 Metropolitan Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (MTP/SCS). Placer County Regional Bikeway Plan As the regional transportation planning agency for Placer County, the Placer County Transportation Planning Agency (PCTPA) developed and adopted the Placer County Regional Bikeway Plan in 2002. The plan was established to provide a regional system of bikeways for transportation and recreational purposes. The plan focuses on regional connectors and key routes to provide access to activity centers within the county. Placer County Transition Plan for County-Maintained Roadways Placer County adopted a Transition Plan to comply with the American with Disabilities Act of 1990. The plan was conducted as a self-evaluation of all handicap ramps within the county and created a database rating each ramp within the county to identify deficiencies. The plan identified a list of priorities for ramp upgrades and developed a capital improvement list to make modifications, repairs, and/or replacements. Public Review Draft Existing Conditions Report Page 3-65 Page 3-65 October 2015 SIA PLAN UPDATE SECTION 3.5 RAILWAYS FACILITIES Existing Conditions In California, Amtrak operates all State-supported intercity rail services. Caltrans provides operating funds to Amtrak for the in-state rail services. Amtrak operates three in-state routes: Capital Corridor (Auburn to San Jose), San Joaquin (Bay Area/Sacramento to Bakersfield), and Pacific Surfliner (San Luis Obispo to San Diego). These routes connect with each other and with Amtrak’s four long-distance train routes that link California to other states. The Capital Corridor provides one daily round trip train service between Auburn and Sacramento. The Civic Center Amtrak station in Roseville is the nearest rail station that connects the SIA to the regional rail services. There are two daily trains currently running between Sacramento- Roseville-Auburn with a plan for potential service increase. The rail station can be accessed from the SIA using a fixed-route bus service operated by the City of Roseville. Park-and-ride lots at all three Amtrak stations in Placer County have been experiencing overflow for daily commuters. These lots have recently expanded their capacity. Within the SIA, Union Pacific Rail Road (UPRR) owns the right-of-way for both passenger and freight rail services and operates freight trains through Placer County. Current rail network serves freight transport between the area and other regions in California, as well as 22 other states. The Roseville Yard, located in the city of Roseville just south of the project site, is the largest rail facility on the U.S. west coast, with a capacity of 1,800-2,300 cars per day on eight receiving and departure tracks. Figure 3-10 shows the existing rail network in the SIA. 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