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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, Second Regular Session
median barriers; study committee; appropriation
Purpose
Appropriates $10,000,000 from the state General Fund (state GF) to the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) to install cable median barriers and creates a 15-member Interstate Cable Barrier Median Expansion Study Committee (Study Committee).
Background
A highway project is a project that is on the federal aid system, national highway system or state route or state highway system and that is included in ADOT's state highway construction plan or the transportation improvement plan of a regional association of governments. A highway project does not include any local street improvements (A.R.S. § 28-7681).
The Department of Public Safety (DPS) must create and coordinate services for use by local law enforcement agencies in protecting the public safety, including traffic safety and traffic law enforcement (A.R.S. § 41-1711).
S.B. 1525 appropriates $10,000,000 from the state GF in FY 2023 to ADOT.
Provisions
1. Appropriates $10,000,000 from the state GF in FY 2023 to ADOT to install cable median barriers.
2. Requires ADOT to prioritize the outlined installation projects as determined by the Study Committee.
3. Establishes the Study Committee consisting of the following members:
a) three members of the Senate who are appointed by the President of the Senate, including the Chairperson and the Ranking Minority Member of the Transportation and Technology Committee or its successor committee;
b) three members of the House of Representatives (House) who are appointed by the Speaker of the House, including the Chairperson and the Ranking Minority Member of the House Transportation and Technology Committee or its successor committee;
c) the Director of ADOT or the Director's designee;
d) the Director of the DPS or the Director's designee;
e) the Director of the Maricopa Association of Governments or the Director's designee;
f) the Director of the Pima Association of Governments or the Director's designee;
g) the Director of the Central Arizona Governments or the Director's designee;
h) the Chairperson of the State Transportation Board or the Chairperson's designee;
i) the Director of the Rural Transportation Advocacy Council or the Director's designee; and
j) two Governor-appointed public members who have been impacted by a fatality on a highway without median barriers, one of whom resides in the northern portion of Arizona, and one whom resides in the southern portion of Arizona.
4. Requires the Senate President and the Speaker of the House to each designate one of the Study Committee members from their respective chambers to serve as a Cochairperson of the committee.
5. Prohibits more than two Study Committee members of the Senate and more than two Study Committee members of the House from being of the same political party.
6. Requires the Study Committee to conduct hearings on and examine:
a) the current landscape, inventory and mapping of cable median barriers in Arizona;
b) the feasibility of installing cable median barriers and public safety alternatives throughout highways, interstates and state routes in Arizona;
c) a historical accounting of fatalities and crossover accidents for the past 10 years in Arizona; and
d) other issues deemed necessary relating to best practices on the:
i. installation of cable median barriers;
ii. mitigation of fatalities, crossover accidents and severe injury;
iii. other public safety tools to increase safety on highways, interstates and state routes; and
iv. determination of the criteria to prioritize the installation of cable median barriers.
7. Deems the Study Committee members to be ineligible to receive reimbursement of expenses.
8. Requires ADOT to provide administrative support to the Study Committee.
9. Requires the Study Committee to submit a report, by December 15, 2022, to the Governor, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House regarding:
a) the Study Committee's activities;
b) recommendations for administrative or legislative action; and
c) a proposed priority list of cable median barriers to be installed in Arizona.
10. Requires the Study Committee to submit a copy of the report to the Secretary of State or a requesting member of the public.
11. Repeals the Study Committee on October 1, 2023.
12. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 3, 2022
RA/sr