Wolk bill addressing Highway 12 safety issues moves forward

Unanimous approval for bill establishing double fine zones on ‘Blood Alley’

SACRAMENTO–Today, the Assembly Transportation Committee voted 12-0 to approve legislation by Assemblywoman Lois Wolk (D-Davis) addressing safety issues on State Highway 12.

Assembly Bill 112 doubles the base fines between Highway 5 and Highway 80, a critical section of Highway 12 where a series of accidents this month left five dead and still others in critical condition. 
 
“AB 112 is a bipartisan effort that creates a double fine zone for traffic violations such as speeding, reckless driving, and drunken driving along Highway Route 12,” testified Wolk. “These double fine zones, in combination with increased CHP enforcement and a package of Caltrans safety improvements announced this morning, are intended to prevent the unsafe driving that has claimed so many lives on this stretch of highway.” 

The bill is part of a comprehensive plan—outlined at a press conference this morning by Wolk, California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and California Highway Patrol (CHP)—to improve safety conditions on Highway 12.

Testifying at the hearing were Rio Vista Mayor Eddie Woodruff, Suisun City Council Member Mike Segala, and Chuck Lamoree, father of Rio Vista Police Officer David Frank Lamoree, who was killed on this stretch of road two years ago. 

“There are many pieces to this puzzle, to fixing Highway 12. Some are being undertaken by CHP, others by Caltrans, and this committee can assist in that effort by approving AB 112,” said Lamoree. “I think about my own tragedy, of David, who had so much to offer this community, and of the all the families who’ve had deaths and injuries on Route 12. That’s a tremendous loss to society. AB 112 would assist us get things back on track and solve the problems of Route 12. 

Other victims’ family members spoke in favor of the bill, as did Janet Adams, Director of Projects with the Solano Transportation Agency (STA), the bill’s sponsor, STA Director of Planning Robert Macaulay, as well as local law enforcement agencies, and several other members of the community.

“The frequency of collisions on this highway increases every year,” said Wolk. “Eight hundred collisions over a five year period on just the 18 miles of Highway 12 in Solano County.  That’s nearly a crash every other day, even more frequent when you add figures from San Joaquin.  We can’t allow this carnage to continue. 

Among AB 112 supporters are the Solano County Board of Supervisors, Highway 12 Association, all 7 mayors of Solano County and the Fairfield-Suisun Chamber of Commerce. The urgency legislation, which required a two thirds vote to pass, will next be heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.