TRAFFIC ADVISORY

WINTER CLOSURE

EBBETTS PASS (STATE ROUTE 4)

Alpine County – The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has closed State Route 4 (SR-4) for the winter as of Sunday, November 22, 2015.

The recent storms, and accumulation of snow, make the seasonal closure necessary for the safety of motorists and Caltrans crews. The weather conditions on the pass and subsequent road conditions are among the determining factors in the decision to make the seasonal closure. Once the pass is closed for winter, it will not be reopened until conditions warrant. Each year, Caltrans crews work diligently to clear debris, remove snow and make repairs so the highway can reopen by Memorial Day Weekend.  

For the latest road condition information, the radio may be tuned to the Caltrans Highway Advisory Radio (HAR) at 530 AM, 1610 AM or 1670 AM or call the Caltrans Road Condition Hotline at 1-800-427-ROAD (7623). Real time conditions are also available online and for mobile phones at http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov. Changeable Message Signs with flashing beacons will have information regarding the pass closures.

Winter weather and road conditions can change rapidly.  Motorists should expect the worst conditions and be prepared when traveling in areas subject to hazardous conditions.  All vehicles, including those with four-wheel drive or snow tires should, additionally, carry chains when traveling during snowy weather. 

Drivers without chains in their possession may not be allowed to proceed.  When highway signs indicate that chains are required, drivers must stop and install chains or risk being cited and fined.

CHAIN CONTROL REQUIREMENT LEVELS:

No Restrictions - Watch for snow on pavement.

R-1:   Chains are required on all commercial vehicles (trucks or buses).  All other vehicles (cars, pick-ups, vans, etc.) must have either snow tread tires or chains on the drive axle.

R-2:   Chains are required on all vehicles except four-wheel drives with snow tread tires.  Four-wheel drive vehicles must carry chains in the vehicle.

R-3:   Chains required - ALL VEHICLES - no exceptions.

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For the safety of workers and other motorists, please Slow for the Cone Zone.

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www.dot.ca.gov

Traffic Tickets / Infractions Amnesty Program

On June 24, 2015, the Governor signed into law

a one-time amnesty program for unpaid traffic

and non-traffic infraction tickets.

Here is what you should know:

When will the amnesty program be available?
Start: October 1, 2015
End:  March 31, 2017

Who can participate in the amnesty program?
There are two groups of people who can participate in the amnesty program:

• Persons with unpaid tickets whose fines were originally due to be paid date on or before January 1, 2013, who have not made a payment after June 24, 2015, may be eligible to have both their debt reduced by 50 or 80 percent depending on income and their driver's license reinstated, unless an exclusion discussed below applies.
• Persons who made a payment after June 24, 2015 on a ticket are not eligible for a reduction for that ticket, but may be eligible to have their driver’s license reinstated if they are in good standing on a payment plan with a comprehensive collection program.
• Persons with more than one ticket may not be eligible for a reduction on an individual ticket if the eligibility criteria are not satisfied for the ticket. Please check with your court for additional information.

Any persons eligible to have a driver's license, (including undocumented individuals who are eligible for a driver's license under AB 60) are entitled to participate in the traffic amnesty program if they meet the eligibility requirements.

Who cannot participate in the amnesty program?
Eligible persons may be excluded from the amnesty program if they owe victim restitution on a case or have certain outstanding misdemeanor or felony warrants.

What if I made a payment after June 24, 2015? 
People ineligible due to timing may still have their driver’s license returned, but will not have their fines reduced on tickets with a payment after the deadline .

What tickets will be eligible for amnesty?
Any infraction may qualify for amnesty. Unpaid tickets and related “failure to appear” violations with an initial payment due date on or before January 1, 2013, are eligible.

Individual superior courts and counties may extend this program to include some misdemeanors.

What tickets will not be eligible?
This amnesty program does not apply to parking tickets, reckless driving, and DUI offenses.

How much will I have to pay?
Under the amnesty program, eligible participants will not have to pay any civil assessments. Once the civil assessment amounts are deducted, the remaining balance owed will be reduced by 50 to 80 percent depending on income or receipt of specified public benefits.

• The discount will be 80 percent for those who certify that they make 125 percent or less than the federal poverty level — $14,712 for an individual, or $30,312 for a family of four — or who receive public assistance.
• The discount will be 50 percent for all other eligible participants.

How do I participate in the amnesty program?
Beginning on October 1, 2015, contact the superior court in the jurisdiction(s) where you received the ticket(s) to determine your eligibility to participate in the amnesty program. People who are eligible for amnesty will have their application processed without seeing a judge.

Will there be a fee to participate?
Courts, counties, and third party collections vendors are permitted to collect an amnesty program fee of $50 payable to the superior court or county. The Department of Motor Vehicles will also charge a $55 driver's license reinstatement fee as it does for any license reinstatement.

Will there be an installment payment option?
Yes, a payment plan option will be available through the superior court, county, or third party collections vendors and payments scheduled under the plan will be based on the ability to pay.

This video will help you determine if you qualify:

More information will be posted here as it becomes available.

Source: http://www.courts.ca.gov/trafficamnesty.htm

Jackson City Manager, Mike Daly updates us on city government and proposed projects in Jackson.

Caltrans is in the process of reviewing hundreds of applications due to an overwhelming response to its call for applications for projects that promote biking and walking. The 770 applications – more than half benefiting disadvantaged communities – have been received from cities and counties throughout California, totaling nearly $1 billion in project requests. All are vying for a share of $360 million in federal and state funding from the state’s Active Transportation Program, an excess in demand of 3 to 1.

“We are thrilled to see such a tremendous interest in promoting alternative and active forms of transportation throughout California,” said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty. “This overwhelming response indicates that more local governments recognize that these projects are a good investment and will enhance the mobility, safety and health of their communities.”

The program will receive a total of $360 million, representing three year’s worth of funding. Fifty percent of that total funding ($180 million) will be awarded via Caltrans to anywhere in the state, and another 10 percent of the total ($36 million) is designated specifically for small urban and rural areas. Projects in large Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) areas (populations over 200,000) that are not awarded funding from Caltrans will still be able to compete for 40 percent of total program funding ($144 million) to be awarded through those MPOs.

Complete information on the program can be found on Caltrans’ website. The California Transportation Commission (CTC), Caltrans and external evaluators will review the projects based on adopted guidelines and selection criteria, and the CTC will select projects to receive funding at their August 20^th meeting. Applications not selected can still potentially compete for funding allocated to the large MPOs.

Eight teams are overseeing the initial review process. Each team consists of five Caltrans employees and six outside experts (representing cities, counties, local transportation agencies, MPOs, nonprofits and transportation advocacy groups). Each application requires one to two hours to review and will be reviewed by two teams. Local Caltrans offices will also be evaluating proposed projects within their districts and providing recommendations based on project feasibility and proper time and budget estimates.

Last year, Governor Brown signed legislation (Senate Bill 99, Chapter 359 and Assembly Bill 101, Chapter 354) creating the ATP, which distributes funding for human-powered transportation projects and programs. The program replaces a patchwork of small grant programs with a comprehensive program that is more efficient. Another benefit is that funds can be directed to multi-year projects to make greater long-term improvements to active transportation.

Caltrans’ California Household Travel Survey – the largest and most complex review of its kind – underscored the need for active transportation when it revealed that the percentage of trips taken by California households that involve walking, biking, or using public transportation has more than doubled since 2000.

Each year, Caltrans prepares an annual report summarizing programs it has undertaken for the development of non-motorized transportation facilities. For more information on active transportation in California see the 2011-12 Caltrans Report.

Amador County District Attorney Todd Riebe talks with Tom Slivick about the connection between recidivism and California prison realignment.

In this edition of TSPN TV News, Tom Slivick talks with Amador County District Attorney Todd Riebe about the current state of prison realignment in California.

In this edition of TSPN TV News, Tom Slivick talks with Amador County District Attorney Todd Riebe about the current state of prison realignment in California.

Amador County District Attorney Todd Riebe talks with Tom Slivick about the connection between recidivism and California prison realignment.

Tom Slivick talks with Amador County District Attorney Todd Riebe about what was discussed at a recent meeting of the California Parole Board.

Amador County District Attorney Todd Riebe talks with Tom Slivick about whether the realignment of prisoners in California has led to more or less crime in the state.