46th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2003

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

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 [64-7-501 through 64-7-511 NMSA 1953] 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. [NEW MATERIAL] 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 shall:

(1) provide funding 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 state, counties and municipalities for program funding; and

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

Section 3. APPROPRIATION.--Seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the state highway and transportation department for expenditure in fiscal year 2004 to implement the provisions of Section 1 of this act. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2004 shall revert to the general fund.