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MINUTES OF THE

TRANSPORTATION INTERIM COMMITTEE

        
Wednesday, November 18, 1998 - 9:00 a.m. - 403 State Capitol


Members Present:
    Sen. John P. Holmgren,
        Senate Chair
    Rep. Marda Dillree
        House Chair
    Sen L. Alma Mansell
    Sen. Eddie "Ed" P. Mayne
    Sen. David H. Steele
    Sen. Nathan C. Tanner
    Rep. Gerry A. Adair
    Rep. Brian R. Allen
    Rep. Trisha S. Beck
    Rep. Ralph Becker
    Rep. Ron Bigelow
    Rep. DeMar "Bud" Bowman
    Rep. Don E. Bush
    Rep. Gene Davis
    Rep. Brad King
    Rep. Peter C. Knudson
    Rep. Joseph G. Murray
    Rep. Lowell A. Nelson
    Rep. Richard M. Siddoway
    Rep. David Ure
    Rep. David L. Zolman, Sr.


Members Absent:

Staff Present:
    Mr. Benjamin N. Christensen,
        Research Analyst
    Mr. Dee S Larsen,
        Associate General Counsel
    Ms. Junie G. Anderson,
        Legislative Secretary

Note:    A list of others present and a copy of materials distributed in the meeting are on file in the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel.

1.     Committee Business - Chair Holmgren called the meeting to order at 9:09 a.m.

    MOTION: Rep. Siddoway moved to approve the minutes of the November 12, 1998 meeting. The motion passed unanimously, with Sen. Mansell, Sen. Steele, Rep. Adair, Rep. Allen, Rep. Beck, Rep. Becker, Rep. Davis, Rep. King, Rep. Nelson, and Rep. Ure absent for the vote.

2.    Traffic Safety Task Force Report - A report titled "Traffic Safety Task Force Report," was distributed. Sen. Robert Montgomery, Senate Chair, discussed the work of the task force .

    Rep. Wayne A. Harper, House Chair, discussed the recommendations for legislation as proposed by the task force. He also announced which legislators will sponsor the proposed bills during the 1999 General Session.
    Dr. Thomas Metcalf, Traffic Safety Task Force, distributed handouts titled "Standard Seat Belt Law - Fact Sheet," "Seat Belt Statistics," and "Utah Teenage (15-17) Driver Crashes, 92-96." He discussed each of the handouts and encouraged the committee to support the seat belt legislation as drafted and recommended by the task force.

    Chair Dillree reminded the committee that the new federal TEA-21 legislation offers an incentive that if Utah has a primary seat belt law and can show significant changes in its seat belt use, Utah would qualify for additional federal funds.                

    Mr. Clinton Topham, Utah Department of Transportation, confirmed Rep. Dillree's comment that federal funds have been set aside as an incentive to increase seat belt usage in the states.

     MOTION: Rep. King moved to approve the task force recommended draft legislation titled "Seat Belt Law Amendments." The motion passed unanimously, with Rep. Nelson and Rep. Ure absent for the vote.

3.    Driver Training and Licensing - The committee combined this agenda item with the report of the task force in order to consider ways to increase a teenage driver's experience prior to qualifying for full driving privileges.

    Mr. Christensen distributed a handout titled "Driver Education and Graduated Driver Licensing Proposals," and explained the proposals as described in the handout.

    Ms. Rolayne Fairclough, Traffic Safety Task Force, representing AAA, spoke in favor of the graduated driver licensing proposal as recommended by the task force.

     MOTION: Rep. Allen moved to go to the next item on the agenda.

     SUBSTITUTE MOTION: Sen. Steele moved that the committee recommend that the Legislature look at appropriate legislation to address driver training and graduated driver licensing during the 1999 General Session. The motion passed unanimously, with Rep. Zolman absent for the vote.

     MOTION: Rep. Bigelow moved to approve the task force recommended draft legislation titled "State Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Coordinating Council," as a committee bill. The motion passed unanimously, with Rep. Zolman absent for the vote.

     MOTION: Rep. Adair moved to amend "Driver Licensing Amendments" as follows:
Page 2, Line 44: Delete "70" and insert "75".

     SUBSTITUTE MOTION: Sen. Tanner moved that the committee not support the task force recommended draft legislation titled "Driver Licensing Amendments." The motion passed unanimously, with Rep. Ure and Rep. Zolman absent for the vote.

4.    Updates _ I-15 Reconstruction, Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP), and Highway Finance - Mr. Thomas Warne, Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT), discussed the I-15 reconstruction and the STIP.

     MOTION: Rep. Adair moved that the barricades at 600 North Interchange at 400 West be removed and that UDOT take the necessary steps to remove them and allow free traffic flow to and from the 600 North Interchange.

     SUBSTITUTE MOTION: Rep. Dillree moved that UDOT and Wasatch Constructors reevaluate the barricade issue at 600 North and 400 West and make recommendations to provide for the best flow of traffic and public safety. The motion passed, with Sen. Tanner, Rep. Adair, Rep. Bowman, Rep. Bush, Rep. Murray, and Rep. Zolman voting in opposition to the motion. Sen. Mansell, Rep. Beck, Rep. Nelson, and Rep. Ure were absent for the vote.

    Mr. David Downs, UDOT, distributed a handout titled "I-15 Reconstruction Project Update." He said the budget is on target. He also updated the committee on the I-15 Reconstruction Project Quality Program and gave a slide presentation that showed photographs of current reconstruction.

    Mr. Topham discussed the STIP and distributed a chart titled "Priority Planned vs. Advertised Projects History."

    Ms. Linda M. Toy, UDOT, reported on the federal contribution to the Centennial Highway Fund.

5.    High Occupancy Toll Lanes Report - Mr. Dal Hawkes, UDOT Legacy Parkway/ I-15 North Team, distributed a handout titled "An Overview of Tolling Practices on High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lanes." He discussed the feasibility of high occupancy toll lanes and reported on the team's findings.

6.    Highway Jurisdiction and Funding - Mr. Larsen distributed draft legislation titled "Statewide Highway Criteria," and discussed the bill.

     MOTION: Sen. Steele moved to support a pilot project, initiated by UDOT, to transfer highways to both an urban and a rural local government entity, with the local governments

selected on a voluntary basis. He said the program would apply the principles learned through the interim study. The motion passed, with Rep. Murray voting in opposition to the motion.
                            
7.    Other Committee Business -

8.    Adjourn -
    
    MOTION: Rep. Zolman moved to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed unanimously.

    The meeting adjourned at 11:46 a.m.

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