Sacramento, CA – Senator Kelly Seyarto (R-Murrieta) is proud to announce that his bill, SB 78, has been signed into law. The measure directs the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to submit a comprehensive report to the Legislature by January 1, 2027, identifying roadway safety improvements, causes of project delays, and strategies to deliver projects more efficiently.
Car crashes remain one of the leading causes of unintentional injury and death in California. Since 2019, traffic fatalities have surged 22%, and pedestrian deaths have reached a 41-year high. Disparities are also growing, with low-income and minority communities facing higher risks of fatal crashes.
Recent tragedies, including a crash that killed four Pepperdine students on the Pacific Coast Highway, long known as “Dead Man’s Curve,” further underscore the urgency of fixing years of delayed safety upgrades. Despite nearly 4,000 collisions over the past decade, progress on PCH and other dangerous corridors has been repeatedly stalled by bureaucratic barriers.
“California’s roads should not be places of tragedy,” said Senator Seyarto. “SB 78 will help us pinpoint the causes of delay, cut through unnecessary red tape, and get safety projects completed faster to save lives.”
California’s current housing landscape has also strained roadways in areas like the Inland Empire, where families seeking more affordable places to live now rely on infrastructure not originally designed to handle today’s heavy traffic volumes. As more residents move inland, the surge in commuter traffic has increased congestion, wear and tear, and safety risks on roads that were never built for such demand.
“More people are spending longer hours on roads that were never built for today’s traffic,” said Senator Seyarto. “Too often, critical safety projects get stuck in bureaucracy while risks keep rising. SB 78 identifies what’s causing these delays so Caltrans can respond faster to the needs of local communities.”
The new report will identify the types of safety enhancements that could be implemented statewide, examine the causes of project delays, and provide recommendations for better interagency coordination. By accelerating the delivery of critical safety improvements, SB 78 aims to reduce injuries and fatalities while easing the long-term burden on infrastructure, emergency services, and taxpayers.
SB 78 received unanimous bipartisan support in the Legislature.