MINUTES OF THE
SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
Sixty-seventh Session
February 25, 1993
The Senate Committee on Transportation was called to order by Chairman William R. O'Donnell, at 1:40 p.m., on Thursday, February 25, 1993, in Room 226 of the Legislative Building, Carson City, Nevada. Exhibit A is the Meeting Agenda. Exhibit B is the Attendance Roster.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT:
Senator William R. O'Donnell, Chairman
Senator Lawrence E. Jacobsen, Vice Chairman
Senator Mark A. James
Senator Leonard V. Nevin
Senator Joseph M. Neal, Jr.
Senator Thomas J. Hickey
Senator Lori L. Brown
STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT:
Paul Mouritsen, Research Analyst
Terri Jo Wittenberg, Committee Secretary
OTHERS PRESENT:
Mr. Fred Welden, Research Division, Legislative Counsel Bureau
Mr. David S. Ziegler, Executive Director, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency
Mr. P.D. Kiser, Professional Engineer (P.E.), Chief Traffic Engineer, Nevada Department of Transportation
Mr. Brian Randall Hutchins, Chief Deputy Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General, Transportation Division
Ms. Kimberly Brennion, California State Automobile Association
Mr. Dennis G. Green, Assistant Sheriff/Coroner, representing Nevada Sheriff's and Chief's Association
Chairman O'Donnell opened the hearing on Senate Joint Resolution (S.J.R.) 8.
S.J.R. 8: Expresses support for designation of Tahoe Regional Planning Agency as Metropolitan Planning Organization.
Mr. Fred Welden, Research Division, Legislative Counsel Bureau, testified in favor of S.J.R. 8. Mr. Welden said there were 12 recommendations that came out of the interim-committee study. Mr. Welden said S.J.R. 8 and Senate Concurrent Resolution (S.C.R.) 7 were two of those recommendations.
Mr. David S. Ziegler, Executive Director, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA), spoke in favor of S.J.R. 8. Mr. Ziegler said the purpose of this resolution was to gain access to federal transit and planning funds that are only available to Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO's). He added the area's transportation problems were more urban than rural due to serious peaking problems during peak holiday seasons.
Chairman O'Donnell closed the hearing on S.J.R. 8 and opened the hearing on Senate Concurrent Resolution (S.C.R.) 7.
S.C.R. 7: Directs Department of Transportation to perform certain functions relating to alternative methods of transportation for Lake Tahoe Basin.
Mr. Fred Welden, testified in favor of S.C.R. 7. Mr. Welden said this resolution addressed environmental issues in the Lake Tahoe Basin that are associated with transportation and the transportation system. He added, the transportation system in the basin affects the environment in at least two ways; in one way the statistics show that 40 percent of the impervious surface (land that is covered by something) in the basin is actually covered by streets or highways so thus, the streets and highways produce a lot of runoff that carries a lot of nutrients into the lake (Tahoe) and this causes a water quality problem.
Mr. Welden said there is also the problem of emissions from automobiles which causes air pollution which is tied to the transportation system in the basin. He said the TRPA had been working on several transportation-related activities in the areas of transit and rail that are significant and that at least three major activities foster environmentally oriented transportation programs in the basin.
Mr. Welden said the State of California has approved funding for feasibility studies and property acquisition associated with construction of a light rail system in the southern portion of the basin. He added the Truckee North Tahoe Transit Management Association had recently been established to look at transit in the north part of the basin and that they were working with the TRPA.
Mr. Welden said the activities all cost money and this resolution is addressed to that need for money. He said it would direct NDOT to coordinate with the California people who are working on the transit and rail planning efforts and it would work with the TRPA in identifying sources of funding that would be effective in the basin. He said it would also direct them to allocate as many resources as reasonably possible to transportation issues and environmentally oriented transportation programs in the basin.
Mr. David S. Ziegler, Executive Director, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, spoke in favor of S.C.R. 7. Mr. Ziegler said the level of cooperation which is urged in the resolution is, to some degree, already happening. He said there was a rail conference going on at Lake Tahoe that day. He also said there was a rail bill in the California legislature to study the highway 50 and highway 80 corridors for rail service.
Chairman O'Donnell closed the hearing on S.C.R. 7 and opened the hearing on Assembly Bill (A.B.) 6.
A.B. 6: Establishes right of way of vehicles at intersection where traffic-control signal is inoperative.
Mr. P.D. Kiser, Professional Engineer (P.E.), Chief Traffic Engineer, Nevada Department of Transportation, spoke in favor of A.B. 6. Mr. Kiser asked the committee to imagine driving down Spring Mountain Road or some other highway in the state, where traffic signals were present; imagine the power is out and the signal is not operational or the signal is struck and becomes inoperative. He continued, a person is approaching this intersection, as well as other cars on the cross-street; what does a person do? He said the law which exists today is not really clear on this and this bill would provide clarification to drivers as to what to do when they come upon those types of situations when the signals are inoperative.
Mr. Kiser explained some changes to the bill which were made in the assembly hearing.
Chairman O'Donnell asked what effect this bill would have on a traffic signal which is being installed, but is not operational.
Mr. Kiser said, generally, these signals were covered up with cardboard or a burlap sack.
Chairman O'Donnell suggested amending the bill to address the problem of traffic signals which have been installed, but are not yet operable.
Mr. Kiser thought such an amendment was possible, but he did not know how to word an amendment to distinguish between inoperative or newly installed traffic signals. Mr. Kiser added, perhaps the problem could be corrected by not installing the heads to the signals until they were ready to be placed into operation.
Senator Nevin suggested NDOT cover up the traffic signals heads and put up temporary stop signs on the street that needs to be controlled until the light is operative. Senator Nevin said it really comes down to basic common sense on the road and if a person stops for one of these signals, which is not working for any reason, and is rear-ended it is the person who rear-ends him who is a fault for not using due care and caution in operating his motor vehicle.
Mr. Brian Randall Hutchins, Chief Deputy Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General, Transportation Division, clarified some points of the amendment to A.B. 6.
Ms. Kimberly Brennion, California State Automobile Association, said her agency was in support of A.B. 6.
Mr. Dennis G. Green, Assistant Sheriff/Coroner, representing Nevada Sheriff's and Chief's Association, added that his agency was also in support of A.B. 6.
Chairman O'Donnell closed the hearing on A.B. 6.
SENATOR BROWN MOVED TO AMEND AND DO PASS S.J.R. 8.
SENATOR JAMES SECONDED THE MOTION.
THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
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SENATOR JAMES MOVED TO AMEND AND DO PASS S.C.R. 7.
SENATOR BROWN SECONDED THE MOTION.
THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
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SENATOR JAMES MOVED TO AMEND AND DO PASS A.B. 6.
SENATOR NEVIN SECONDED THE MOTION.
THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
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There being no further business, Chairman O'Donnell adjourned the meeting at 2:25 p.m.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:
Terri Jo Wittenberg,
Committee Secretary
APPROVED BY:
Senator William R. O'Donnell, Chairman
DATE:
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Senate Committee on Transportation
February 23, 1993
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