RELATING TO TRAFFIC SAFETY; CREATING THE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL PROGRAM; ENACTING A SECTION OF THE NMSA 1978.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

Section 1. Section 66-7-501 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1978, Chapter 35, Section 488) is amended to read:

"66-7-501. SHORT TITLE.--Sections 66-7-501 through

66-7-513 NMSA 1978 may be cited as the "Traffic Safety Act"."

Section 2. A new Section 66-7-513 NMSA 1978 is enacted to read:

"66-7-513. SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL PROGRAM.--

A. The "safe routes to school program" is created within the department to increase and make safer a student's ability to walk or ride a bicycle to school.

B. The program may be established to:

(1) provide assistance to the state, counties and municipalities to identify school route hazards and implement engineering improvements, including:

(a) installing sidewalks;

(b) painting crosswalks and other street and sidewalk areas;

(c) installing traffic signals;

(d) making street improvements;

(e) providing lighting;

(f) providing bus shelters, particularly in isolated or rural areas;

(g) cutting curbs for handicapped access; and

(h) other safety improvements;

(2) develop criteria, in conjunction with the department's bicycle, pedestrian and equestrian committee, school districts and law enforcement agencies and with input from parents, teachers and school administrators, to be used in evaluating the applications of the program; and

(3) include information about the safe routes to school program in public awareness campaigns about traffic safety."