[Carfreeliving] Caltrans convinces Guv to veto 19th Ave double fine zone bill

[Jeremy Nelson]

In it's current configuration, 19th Ave. is a serial killer (641 collisions,
528 injuries, and 11 fatalities on 19th Avenue from 2000-04) that terrorizes
the neighborhood.  It is also a "known dangerous condition" which exposes
the city to legal liability (see http://www.ebbc.org/hazards.html for info
on the this law).

Unfortunately, the Governor has used a flawed study by Caltrans as cover to
justify a veto of Leland Yee's bill to institute a double fine zone for
speeding, drunk driving, and other illegal and dangerous driving behavior.

Yee promises to reintroduce this bill next year, so there is time for a
transportation grad student or intern at an advocacy organization to
undertake a research project on this topic to counter Caltrans' message that
"double fine zones don't work."

Possible research tasks:  1) review of the theoretical basis that increasing
the cost of a particular behavior reduces that incidence of that behavior
(e.g. cost-benefit economics, or sociology or criminology theory on
risk-reward, etc) and 2)  review of any empirical research on the
effectiveness of double fine zones in CA or elsewhere.

If anyone is interested or knows someone who might be, let me know and I can
provide background materials, including the Executive Summary of Caltrans'
study.

Best- Jeremy

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Bill to increase fines on Highway 1 vetoed
Cicero Estrella
SF Chronicle
Thursday, September 8, 2005
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/09/08/BAGBFEK3MC1

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed a bill Tuesday night that would have
doubled traffic violation fines on one of San Francisco's most dangerous
roadways.

Drafted by Assemblyman Leland Yee, AB452 looked to decrease auto accidents,
pedestrian injuries and fatalities on heavily traveled Highway 1 between
Junipero Serra Boulevard and Lake Street. The stretch encompasses 19th
Avenue, Crossover Drive and Park Presidio Boulevard.

"Caltrans suggested that if any future double fine zones are to be
effective, they must be established concurrently with enhanced enforcement,
public awareness campaigns and other traffic safety measures,"
Schwarzenegger said in his veto message.

Yee's office said such measures already were in effect. It cites a $2.5
million loan made by the city to Caltrans for such improvements as
pedestrian countdown signals and better signal timing along 19th Avenue and
surrounding streets.

"That's the most frustrating part of the governor's veto message," said Adam
Keigwin, spokesman for Yee. "Hopefully, the neighborhood will be more vocal
and educate the governor on the need for this legislation."

Keigwin said Yee plans to reintroduce the bill next year.

According to the California Highway Patrol statistics cited by Yee, there
were 641 collisions, 528 injuries and 11 fatalities on 19th Avenue from
2000-04.