Legislation doubling penalty for speeding on Highway 1 is reintroduced in Sacramento

A piece of legislation that would double the traffic fines for speeders along 19th Avenue will be reintroduced in Sacramento, after it was vetoed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The pedestrian safety bill would create a double-fine zone along state Highway 1, also known as 19th Avenue and as Park Presidio Boulevard, from Junipero Serra Boulevard to Lake Street. Highway 1 is a state road and not under the jurisdiction of San Francisco.

Assembly Speaker Pro Tem Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, who reintroduced the bill, believes it will succeed, spokesman Adam Keigwin said. Public concern over the 1,676 car injuries and the 15 deaths logged in the area over the last eight years will push the bill forward, Keigwin said.

Keigwin reported that the California Department of Transportation, which is responsible for the stretch of road, has approved funding for traffic safety measures, such as vehicle detectors and safety lighting that studies suggest make double-fine zones more effective.

If the Legislature approves the bill, it would move on to the governor by the end of next week and could become law in January.

Keigwin said that across the nation, pedestrians make up 12 percent of motor vehicle fatalities, compared to 49 percent in San Francisco.