SECTIONS 1966-1966.7 - California Statutes

STREETS AND HIGHWAYS CODE

SECTION 1966-1966.7

1966. It is the intent of the Legislature, in enacting this
chapter, to authorize the County of Amador and the Cities of Jackson,
Sutter Creek, and Amador City to establish a neighborhood electric
vehicle (NEV) transportation plan. The purpose of this NEV
transportation plan is to further the vision of creating a
sustainable development that reduces gasoline demand and vehicle
emissions by offering a cleaner, more economical means of local
transportation within the plan area. It is the further intent of the
Legislature that this NEV transportation plan be designed and
developed to best serve the functional travel needs of the plan area,
to have the physical safety of the NEV driver's person and property
as a major planning component, and to have the capacity to
accommodate NEV drivers of every legal age and range of skills.

1966.1. The following definitions apply to this chapter:
(a) "Plan area" means any portion of the unincorporated area of
the County of Amador, and of the Cities of Jackson, Sutter Creek, and
Amador City, and any streets and roads under the jurisdiction of any
of those entities, to the extent the entity has adopted a NEV
transportation plan pursuant to Section 1966.2, including the
privately owned land of any owner that consents to its inclusion in
the plan.
(b) "Neighborhood electric vehicle" or "NEV" means a low-speed
vehicle as defined by Section 385.5 of the Vehicle Code.
(c) "NEV lanes" means all publicly or privately owned facilities
that provide for NEV travel including roadways designated by signs or
permanent markings which are shared with pedestrians, bicyclists,
and other motorists in the plan area.

1966.2. (a) The County of Amador, and the Cities of Jackson, Sutter
Creek, and Amador City, jointly, or any of these entities
individually, may, by ordinance or resolution, adopt a NEV
transportation plan for the plan area.
(b) The transportation plan shall have received a prior review and
the comments of the Amador County Transportation Commission and any
agency having traffic law enforcement responsibilities in an entity
adopting a plan.
(c) The transportation plan may include the use of a state
highway, or any crossing of the highway, subject to the approval of
the Department of Transportation.

1966.3. The transportation plan shall include, but need not be
limited to, all of the following elements:
(a) Route selection, which includes a finding that the route will
accommodate NEVs without an adverse impact upon traffic safety, and
will consider, among other things, the travel needs of commuters and
other users.
(b) Transportation interfacing, which shall include, but not be
limited to, coordination with other modes of transportation so that a
NEV driver may employ multiple modes of transportation in reaching a
destination in the plan area.
(c) Provision for NEV-related facilities, including, but not
limited to, special access points, special NEV turnouts, and NEV
crossings.
(d) Provisions for parking facilities at destination locations,
including, but not limited to, community commercial centers, golf
courses, public areas, and parks.
(e) Provisions for special paving, road markings, signage, and
striping for NEV travel lanes, road crossings, parking, and
circulation, as appropriate.
(f) Provisions for NEV electrical charging stations.
(g) NEV lanes for the purposes of the transportation plan shall be
classified as follows:
(1) Class I NEV routes provide for a completely separate
right-of-way for the use of NEVs.
(2) Class II NEV routes provide for a separate striped lane
adjacent to roadways with speed limits of 55 miles per hour or less.
(3) Class III NEV routes provide for shared use by NEVs with
conventional vehicle traffic on streets with speed limits of 35 miles
per hour or less.

1966.4. If an entity adopts a NEV transportation plan for the plan
area pursuant to Section 1966.2, it shall do all of the following:
(a) Establish minimum general design criteria for the development,
planning, and construction of separated NEV lanes, including, but
not limited to, the design speed of the facility, the space
requirements of the NEV, and roadway design criteria, if the plan
envisions separated NEV lanes.
(b) In cooperation with the department, establish uniform
specifications and symbols for signs, markers, and traffic control
devices to control NEV traffic; to warn of dangerous conditions,
obstacles, or hazards; to designate the right-of-way as between NEVs,
other vehicles, and bicycles, as may be applicable; to state the
nature and destination of the NEV lane; and to warn pedestrians,
bicyclists, and motorists of the presence of NEV traffic.
(c) Submit the transportation plan to the director for approval
following a review and recommendation by the California Traffic
Control Devices Committee.

1966.5. If an entity adopts a NEV transportation plan for the plan
area pursuant to Section 1966.2, it shall also adopt all of the
following as part of the plan:
(a) NEVs eligible to use NEV lanes shall meet the safety
requirements for low-speed vehicles as set forth in Section 571.500
of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(b) Minimum safety criteria for NEV operators, including, but not
limited to, requirements relating to NEV maintenance and NEV safety.
Operators shall be required to possess a valid California driver's
license and to comply with the financial responsibility requirements
established pursuant to Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 16000) of
Division 7 of the Vehicle Code.
(c) (1) Restrictions limiting the operation of NEVs to NEV routes
identified in the transportation plan, and allowing only those NEVs
that meet the safety equipment requirements specified in the plan to
be operated on those routes.
(2) Any person operating a NEV in the plan area in violation of
this subdivision is guilty of an infraction punishable by a fine not
exceeding one hundred dollars ($100).

1966.6. (a) If any of the entities described in subdivision (a) of
Section 1966.2 adopt a NEV transportation plan pursuant to this
chapter, the adopting entity or entities shall submit a report to the
Legislature on or before January 1, 2015, in consultation with the
Department of Transportation, the Department of the California
Highway Patrol, and local law enforcement agencies.
(b) The report shall include all of the following:
(1) A description of the NEV transportation plan and its elements
that have been authorized up to that time.
(2) An evaluation of the effectiveness of the NEV transportation
plan, including its impact on traffic flows and safety.
(3) A recommendation as to whether this chapter should be
terminated, continued in existence applicable solely to the County of
Amador and the Cities of Jackson, Sutter Creek, and Amador City, or
expanded statewide.

1966.7. This chapter shall remain in effect only until January 1,
2016, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2016, deletes or extends
that date.