Wolk bill improving safety on Blood Alley moves to Governor

Legislation streamlines process to designate double fine zones on dangerous highways

SACRAMENTO– Early this morning the State Legislature approved legislation by Assemblywoman Lois Wolk (D-Davis) to help improve safety on highways throughout the state, including a stretch of State Highway Route 12 in Solano County between Interstate 80 to Interstate 5 that has claimed six lives this year and left others critically injured.
 
The State Senate voted 21-11 on the measure, with the Assembly voting 51-19 to approve Senate amendments to the bill and send it to the Governor for his signature.

“Today’s vote was a great victory and a strong step toward providing greater protection for those who drive on Route 12,” said Assemblywoman Wolk, whose Assembly Bill 112 creates a process for designating safety enhancement-double fine zones, for traffic violations such as speeding, reckless driving, and drunken driving. “Every year, the number of deadly accidents on this highway increases. Every year, people die. I applaud the legislature’s approval of this legislation to help prevent future loss of life on Highway 12.”

AB 112 is part of a Highway 12 safety package that includes safety enhancements by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and increased enforcement by California Highway Patrol (CHP). Together with double fine zones, these safety measures have been shown to reduce the number of accidents with fatalities and injuries.

Already, Caltrans has installed median lane separators and rumble strips, as well as double yellow lines, in the center median for the entire 18 miles of Highway 12 in Solano County—and CHP has increased enforcement on the highway that has resulted in a dramatic increase in citations. Additional scheduled safety improvements include concrete medians along 5.7 critical miles of Highway 12.

“Too many people have lost their lives on Highway 12. Too many families have lost loved ones,” said Wolk. “I urge the Governor to sign this legislation, which will save lives in Solano and San Joaquin counties and elsewhere in the state as others use this tool.”

Wolk added that she will work with Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco) in January to add additional criteria for establishing double fine zones addressing pedestrian injuries and fatalities occurring on highways such as State Highway Route 1 in San Francisco.