State Highway System Management Plan: underserved rural communities.

Existing law requires the Department of Transportation to prepare a State Highway System Management Plan that consists of both a 10-year state highway system rehabilitation plan and a 5-year maintenance plan. Existing law requires the department to make a draft of its proposed plan available to regional transportation agencies for review and comment, and requires the department to submit the draft plan to the California Transportation Commission for review and comment by February 15 of each odd-numbered year. Existing law requires the department to transmit the final plan to the Governor and the Legislature by June 1 of each odd-numbered year. This bill would require the State Highway System Management Plan prepared by the department to also include a comprehensive evaluation of the current state of transportation in underserved rural communities and a transportation needs assessment of the cost to operate, maintain, and provide for the transportation system in underserved rural communities, as specified. The bill would require the department to prepare the evaluation and assessment in consultation with the commission, the Controller, and rural counties.