Chapter 6.5. Federal Aid For Highway Safety Improvements of California Streets And Highways Code >> Division 3. >> Chapter 6.5.

This chapter may be cited as the Federal Aid for Highway Safety Improvements Act.

The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act-A Legacy for Users of 2005 (Public Law 109-059), also known as SAFETEA-LU, elevated the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) to a core program (23 U.S.C. Sec. 148). SAFETEA-LU authorized appropriations for programs relating to highway safety improvements that can reduce the number of fatal and serious injury accidents. The core HSIP program includes two set-aside programs: the railway-highway crossing program (23 U.S.C. Sec. 130) and the high-risk rural roads program (23 U.S.C. Sec. 148(f)). The purpose of this chapter is to implement these programs in this state. The commission, the department, boards of supervisors, and city councils are authorized to do all things necessary in their respective jurisdictions to secure and expend federal funds in accordance with the intent of that federal act and this chapter, and to coordinate with local law enforcement agencies' community policing efforts.

All funds received pursuant to these federal programs shall be deposited in the State Highway Account in the State Transportation Fund. All funds apportioned to the state for such programs are appropriated for allocation by the commission in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

In each annual proposed budget prepared pursuant to Section 165, there shall be included an amount equal to the estimated apportionment available from the federal government for the programs described in Sections 2331 and 2333.5. The commission may allocate a portion of those funds each year for use on city streets and county roads. It is the intent of the Legislature that the commission allocate the total funds received from the federal government under Section 148 of Title 23 of the United States Code in approximately equal amounts between state highways and local roads. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the share of any railroad of the cost of maintaining railroad crossing protection facilities funded, in whole or in part, by funds described in Section 2331 shall be the same share it would be if no federal funds were involved and the crossing protection facilities were funded pursuant to an order of the Public Utilities Commission pursuant to Section 1202 of the Public Utilities Code; and in case of dispute, the Public Utilities Commission shall determine that share pursuant to this section.

Expenditure of such funds on local streets and roads shall be exempt from the provisions of Sections 188 and 188.8.