An act to amend Section 21450.5 of the Vehicle Code, relating to pedestrians.
Summary
SB 671 amends Vehicle Code Section 21450.5 to expand requirements for pedestrian crossing signals on state-owned or state-operated traffic-actuated signals and pedestrian hybrid beacons. The bill requires walk indications and other visual signals to comply with the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, and it requires accessible pedestrian signals (APS) at these locations, including pushbutton or touch-free APS that provide nonvisual information such as audible tones, speech messages, and vibrotactile feedback. It also directs Caltrans to install touch-free APS at certain new signalized pedestrian crossings on state highway system projects, encroachment permit projects, and highway maintenance-funded projects, and to upgrade existing APS to touch-free APS in specified circumstances.
Impact
The bill primarily affects the California Vehicle Code and Caltrans operational practices for pedestrian signal installation, maintenance, and inventory tracking. It adds requirements for leading pedestrian intervals (LPIs), touch-free APS, and database documentation of existing state-owned or state-operated signals in certain high-pedestrian areas, and it requires Caltrans to notify local agencies operating delegated state signals and to track LPI implementation in its management system. The bill also creates a state-mandated local program because local agencies may have new reporting obligations, while preserving reimbursement procedures if the Commission on State Mandates determines reimbursable costs exist.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly supported and noncontroversial in the Legislature. It advanced through committee and floor votes with unanimous or near-unanimous support, including multiple 15-0, 16-0, 37-0, and 74-0 votes, and it was placed on the consent calendar. The lack of recorded committee transcript discussion suggests the measure was treated as a technical or safety-oriented update rather than a contested policy fight.
Contention
The main policy issues are implementation burden and cost, especially for Caltrans and local agencies that may need to install or upgrade APS, implement LPIs, and report signal data. The bill explicitly acknowledges that it creates a state-mandated local program and provides for reimbursement if the Commission on State Mandates finds reimbursable costs. Another limited point of operational discretion is that some provisions apply only where feasible or where not prohibited by the CA MUTCD, and unsignalized crossings at signalized intersections may remain unsignalized. No organized opposition is reflected in the available voting history.