Highway Standards - Administration - Streets And Highways - CA

Section § 160

This law states that all state highways in California must have a right-of-way that is at least 40 feet wide. If a highway is narrower than this, the department can maintain it but cannot spend money on major construction or improvements until the right-of-way meets the 40-foot requirement.

The width of the right-of-way for all state highways shall be at least 40 feet.

The department may maintain any state highway having a lesser width of right-of-way, but shall not expend any money thereon for major construction or improvement until the width of the right-of-way is at least 40 feet.

right-of-way state highways 40 feet width ...

Section § 161

If bicycles are allowed on a state highway, the department in charge of construction projects must ensure that they only use grates that are safe for bicycle riders.

On construction projects, the department shall install on the surface of state highways upon which the operation of bicycles is permitted only those types of grates which are not hazardous to bicycle riders.

bicycle safety state highways highway construction ...

Section § 162

This California law requires that new state highway lanes dedicated to buses and high occupancy vehicles (like carpool lanes) be designed to potentially convert into exclusive mass transit railways. However, this only applies if it's practical to do so. Before making such designs, the department must consider the cost-effectiveness, any potential environmental impacts, and the chances that a mass transit railway project will be developed.

(a) Unless the commission finds that it would be impractical, any state highway exclusive and preferential lane for buses and other high occupancy vehicles constructed on new alignment or new structures shall be designed and constructed on horizontal and vertical alignments, including the grade, curvature, and horizontal and vertical clearances, so that the lane may readily be reconstructed as an exclusive public mass transit guideway, using the department’s rail transit design criteria.

(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), prior to designing a state highway in conformance with this section, the department shall consider all of the following:

(1) Cost effectiveness.

(2) Any added environmental impact.

(3) The likelihood of a guideway project ever being developed.

state highway design bus lanes high occupancy vehicle lanes ...

Section § 162.5

This California law requires the Department of Transportation to develop and periodically update seismic standards for constructing and retrofitting highways and bridges to make them earthquake-resistant. The standards must include the latest technologies and techniques, inspired by lessons from past earthquakes like the Loma Prieta event. It also emphasizes ongoing communication with seismic experts and mandates that these standards and data be shared with other public agencies involved in infrastructure projects.

(a) The department shall develop revised seismic standards for earthquake resistance to be utilized in the design and construction of new state highways and bridges, and for the retrofit of existing highways and bridges.

(b) In the development of those standards, the department shall do all of the following:

(1) Thoroughly investigate and analyze the structural damage to highways and bridges resulting from the October 17, 1989, Loma Prieta earthquake, and utilize the experience of that earthquake in the development of revised standards.

(2) Incorporate in those standards, state of the art technology for designing and constructing highways and bridges to withstand extreme seismic activity, utilizing, where appropriate, the available technology and methodology from all engineering and scientific disciplines, including state of the art assessment tools and computer modeling techniques. Where appropriate, the department shall study and incorporate technologies utilized in other countries and proven technologies and accomplishments from other fields, such as those used in the design and construction of high-rise structures.

(3) Maintain contact and communication, and exchange information with, persons and organizations concerned with seismic engineering issues.

(c) The department shall continue to revise and update the standards periodically, so that they reflect the department’s latest findings.

(d) Upon completing the development of revised seismic standards, and whenever those standards are updated, the department shall make the standards, including the supporting data, available to all other public agencies in this state which are engaged in the design, construction, or inspection of streets, roads, highways, and bridges.

seismic standards earthquake resistance highway construction ...