Legislation to Authorize the Relinquishment of Portions of State Route 83 to the City of Chino Advances to the Senate

(Sacramento, CA) – Yesterday, Assembly Bill (AB) 250, authored by Assemblymember Freddie Rodriguez (D – Pomona), passed the Assembly Floor with a vote of 77-0. AB 250 would authorize 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. This legislation is now moving over to the State Senate.

“The City of Chino has several projects planned to improve the roadway, including plans to combat the flooding that frequently occurred on a portion of the roadway during the winter months. Allowing the City of Chino to control the portions of SR-83 in their jurisdiction will enable the City to make needed improvements efficiently and increase their preparedness for future extreme weather events,” stated Assemblymember Rodriguez.

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 occurs. The flooding has resulted 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.

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 the City to obtain permits and authorizations that add complexity, costs, and time to proposed projects. The City wishes to undertake these projects in a more timely manner.

“AB 250 is important legislation for the City of Chino. By allowing the portions of Euclid Avenue that are in Chino to be transferred to the City, this bill will facilitate and expedite much-needed projects along this arterial. These improvements will benefit the regional economy by correcting inefficiencies and will enhance safety along Euclid, particularly along the sections prone to flooding,” said Mayor Eunice Ulloa. “We are grateful to Assembly Member Rodriguez for authoring this bill.”

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.