Governor signs legislation to improve safety on Route 12, throughout state

Wolk bill creates double fine zone on dangerous stretch of “Blood Alley”

SUISUN CITY– State and local elected officials today held a press conference in Suisun City to announce that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Assembly Bill 112, legislation by Assemblywoman Lois Wolk (D-Davis) to improve safety on State Highway Route 12 and throughout the state, early this morning.

“Too many people have died on State Route 12 in recent years,” said the Governor said in a press release issued today. “Increasing enforcement, in conjunction with doubling fines for these violations, will help save lives. Motorists must get the message to slow down and drive safely. I commend the authors of this legislation for their diligence in promoting this bill in the interest of the safety of the motoring public throughout the state.”

Assemblymember Wolk thanked the Governor for signing the bill, as well as all those who worked to get the bill through the process.

“This effort began in Solano County, with the establishment of the Highway 12 Safety Plan, but rapidly became a regional effort with the participation of San Joaquin County leaders,” said Wolk. “We have also had outstanding support from both the California Highway Patrol, which has increased its enforcement along this deadly road, and the Department of Transportation, which has expedited more than $46 million for safety improvements more than two years ahead of schedule.”

Wolk’s AB 112 is part of a safety package that includes increased enforcement by California Highway Patrol, and safety enhancements by the California Department of Transportation--including concrete medians, lane separators, rumble strips, as well as no passing zones. Together with double fine zones, these safety measures have been shown to reduce the number of accidents with fatalities and injuries.

AB 112 establishes a safety enhancement double fine zone along a stretch of State Highway Route 12 in Solano and San Joaquin Counties between Interstate 80 to Interstate 5 that has claimed seven lives so far this year. The bill also streamlines the process for designating dangerous highways throughout the state as double fine zones, where base fines can be doubled for traffic violations such as speeding, reckless driving, and drunken driving.

 “That’s what’s so important about this individual piece of legislation,” said CHP Commissioner Mike Brown, who spoke at the event. “It lays the groundwork by creating the criteria for establishing future double fine zones.”

**Press Release: Governor signs legislation to improve safety on Route 12, throughout state, Page 1**

**Press Release: Governor signs legislation to improve safety on Route 12, throughout state, Page 2**

Other speakers at the event included Rio Vista Mayor Eddie Woodruff—as well as Senator Pat Wiggins (D-Santa Rosa) and Assemblymember Alan Nakanishi (R-Lodi), both principal coauthors of the bill.

“We still have work to do, but I am very grateful for the efforts to date by Caltrans, CHP, and from the local level…and, of course, Assemblywoman Wolk. She has been a champion on this issue,” said Senator Wiggins.

"There are some who say that double fine zones aren’t effective. But studies show that they are effective in reducing fatalities when employed in combination with added enforcement, public education, and increased safety measures,” said Assemblymember Nakanishi.

“Our community went to Sacramento to make sure people knew this was important to us, to the community, the region, and the state,” said Woodruff. “I am so pleased that this Rio Vista issue has been elevated to a statewide issue. That’s really something, and I can’t tell you how proud I’ve been to work with Assemblywoman Wolk on this.”

“This is a milestone and a big step forward for Highway 12,” said Daryl Halls, Executive Director of the Solano Transportation Authority, the bill’s sponsor, after the event. “But we still have a lot of work to do.”

Wolk said that she will continue to monitor Highway 12 to ensure that existing safety improvements are maintained, and the plans for future improvements are completed in a timely manner. 

“Now that the Governor has signed AB 112 into law, we can continue to make further improvements on this dangerous highway. I will continue to work to bring local representatives from Solano, San Joaquin, and Sacramento Counties together to develop a comprehensive regional plan to make this entire road safer and ensure that Blood Alley is Blood Alley no more.”