Assemblymember Rodriguez Introduces Legislation to Authorize the Relinquishment of Portions State Route 83 to the City of Chino

(Sacramento, CA) – Today, Assemblymember Freddie Rodriguez (D – Pomona) introduced AB 250, which would allow the California Department of Transportation to relinquish to the City of Chino those portions of State Route (SR) 83 that lie within the City's jurisdiction. In 2021, Assemblymember Rodriguez authored AB 744, relinquishing portions of SR-83 to the City of Ontario. This new legislation would allow the City of Chino to gain similar control over parts of the highway that lie within the City, making repairs to the street more manageable and efficient.

"I am proud to author AB 250, allowing the City of Chino to gain ownership over the portions of SR-83 that fall within their city limits. Hearing of the City's difficulties while trying to improve portions of the road, I know that relinquishing these specified parts will allow Chino to complete their planned projects effectively and promptly. This will best serve the residents of the 53rd Assembly District," stated Assemblymember Rodriguez. 

There are currently bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and many needed improvements along Euclid Avenue. While the City has projects and plans under development to make the necessary improvements and upgrades, CalTrans' possession of SR-83 requires permits and authorizations that add complexity, costs, and time to proposed projects. The City wishes to undertake these projects more expeditiously.

An example of a proposed project would improve the segment of Euclid Avenue from SR-71 to Pine Avenue that navigates through habitats known to support special-status species. The roadway experiences frequent flooding during the winter when extreme weather, such as what we have currently been experiencing, occurs. The flooding results in the closure of the highway for several days, forcing motorists to take alternate routes that may not have the capacity to handle the added traffic.

"As we have been battling extreme weather across the state, I find the utmost importance in allowing California cities to control roadways in their jurisdiction to make the necessary improvements to protect their communities when these incidents occur. We are a disaster-prone state and must remain prepared and resilient. Allowing cities to make timely roadway improvements adds to their preparedness planning," added Assemblymember Rodriguez.

Assemblymember Rodriguez (Twitter) represents the 53rd Assembly District which includes the cities of Chino, Montclair, Ontario, Pomona, and Upland. He is Chair of the Assembly Committee on Emergency Management.