CHAPTER 1. The County Road System [2004.5. - 2010.]

Cal. Streets and Highways Code - SHC 1.

in effect

Cal. Streets and Highways Code - SHC § 2004.5. Section 2004.5.

Streets in any city which has not held an election of municipal officers within a period of 10 years preceding the date of the proposed inclusion shall be included in the road system of the county in which such city is located.

Cal. Streets and Highways Code - SHC § 2006. Section 2006.

(a) The board of supervisors of each county shall appoint a single road commissioner for all road districts in the county. Every person who is appointed road commissioner after December 31, 1965, shall be a registered civil engineer. However, the City and County of San Francisco may appoint a person road commissioner who is not a registered civil engineer. Any person appointed road commissioner on or before December 31, 1965, need not be a registered civil engineer if he or she is approved by the board of supervisors as qualified and competent to handle the road and highway work of the county. Any person who is a road commissioner in any county on December 31, 1965, need not be a registered civil engineer to be appointed road commissioner of another county after December 31, 1965. After October 1, 1952, no person shall be appointed road commissioner until the board of supervisors holds a public hearing on the qualifications of the candidate or candidates for the position of road commissioner. At least 14 days but not more than 30 days prior to the hearing, notice of the hearing shall be posted at the county courthouse and published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation in the county. Nothing in this section precludes one person from serving two or more counties. An elective county official shall not be appointed road commissioner after October 1, 1952, unless the official is holding the position of road commissioner on that date. The road commissioner is, at all times, under the direction and supervision of the board of supervisors but may be dismissed, after a hearing, only upon a majority vote of the board. This subdivision does not apply in chartered counties whose charter requires the county surveyor to perform the duties of, or exercise the powers conferred by law on, the road commissioner. (b) Each county shall furnish evidence to the Controller that it has complied with this section. (c) Neither the Controller nor any other state officer shall make any allocations or payments to any county from the Highway Users Tax Account in the Transportation Tax Fund until the county has complied with the requirements of this section; except that, if a vacancy occurs in the office of road commissioner of a county, the allocations or payments to the county shall not be suspended pursuant to this section unless the county has not appointed a new road commissioner in accordance with this section within 180 days from the date the vacancy first occurred. (d) The 180-day time limit is contingent on the condition that there be a qualified acting road commissioner functioning during the interim period under direct appointment by the board of supervisors.

Cal. Streets and Highways Code - SHC § 2006.1. Section 2006.1.

Notwithstanding Section 2006 or Section 2006.5, the board of supervisors of any county may abolish the office of road commissioner if the board transfers all duties of the road commissioner to the county director of transportation. The director of transportation shall not be required to have any special permit, registration, or license. Any civil engineering functions which are required to be performed by the road commissioner shall be performed by a registered civil engineer acting under the authority of the director of transportation.

Cal. Streets and Highways Code - SHC § 2006.2. Section 2006.2.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Board of Supervisors of Merced County may abolish the office of road commissioner if the board transfers all duties of the road commissioner to the county director of the department of public works. The director of that department shall not be required to have any special permit, registration, or license. Any civil engineering functions that are required to be performed by the road commissioner shall be performed by a registered civil engineer acting under the authority of the director of that department.

Cal. Streets and Highways Code - SHC § 2006.3. Section 2006.3.

Notwithstanding any other law, the Board of Supervisors of the County of Colusa may abolish the office of road commissioner if the board transfers all duties of the road commissioner to the county director of the department of public works. The director of that department shall not be required to have any special permit, registration, or license. Any civil engineering functions that are required to be performed by the road commissioner shall be performed by a registered civil engineer acting under the authority of the director of that department.

Cal. Streets and Highways Code - SHC § 2006.4. Section 2006.4.

Notwithstanding any other law, the Board of Supervisors of the County of Glenn may abolish the office of road commissioner if the board transfers all duties of the road commissioner to the county director of the department of public works. The director of that department shall not be required to have any special permit, registration, or license. Any civil engineering functions that are required to be performed by the road commissioner shall be performed by a registered civil engineer acting under the authority of the director of that department.

Cal. Streets and Highways Code - SHC § 2006.5. Section 2006.5.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Board of Supervisors of Orange County may abolish the office of road commissioner if the board of supervisors transfers all duties of the road commissioner to an environmental management agency. The director of such environmental management agency shall not be required to have any special permit, registration, or license. Any civil engineering functions which are required to be performed by the road commissioner shall be performed by a registered civil engineer acting under the authority of the director of such agency. The Legislature hereby finds and declares that this section, applicable only to Orange County, is necessary because of the unique and special problems of county road management in Orange County due to the extent of municipal incorporation found in the county.

Cal. Streets and Highways Code - SHC § 2006.6. Section 2006.6.

Notwithstanding any other law, the Board of Supervisors of the County of Siskiyou may abolish the office of road commissioner if the board transfers all duties of the road commissioner to the county director of the department of public works. The director of that department shall not be required to have any special permit, registration, or license. Any civil engineering functions that are required to be performed by the road commissioner shall be performed by a registered civil engineer acting under the authority of the director of that department.

Cal. Streets and Highways Code - SHC § 2006.7. Section 2006.7.

Notwithstanding any other law, the Board of Supervisors of the County of Tehama may abolish the office of road commissioner if the board transfers all duties of the road commissioner to the county director of the department of public works. The director of that department shall not be required to have any special permit, registration, or license. Any civil engineering functions that are required to be performed by the road commissioner shall be performed by a registered civil engineer acting under the authority of the director of that department.

Cal. Streets and Highways Code - SHC § 2006.8. Section 2006.8.

Notwithstanding any other law, the Board of Supervisors of the County of Madera may abolish the office of road commissioner if the board transfers all duties of the road commissioner to the county director of the department of public works. The director of that department shall not be required to have any special permit, registration, or license. Any civil engineering functions that are required to be performed by the road commissioner shall be performed by a registered civil engineer acting under the authority of the director of that department.

Cal. Streets and Highways Code - SHC § 2007. Section 2007.

The road commissioner shall each year prepare a tentative road budget covering all proposed expenditures for the ensuing fiscal year for county road purposes. The road commissioner shall submit the budget to the board of supervisors in accordance with Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 29000) of Division 3 of Title 3 of the Government Code and in the form and manner prescribed by the Controller and at the same time as other county departments submit their recommended budgets. The board of supervisors shall hold public hearings on the proposed road budget at the same time as the general county budget is considered and after like notice. In adopting the budget, the board may make such changes and revisions as it considers will subserve the public interest. After adoption of the budget by the board of supervisors, the road commissioner shall not obligate or expend funds appropriated for county road purposes other than as set forth in the budget as adopted. However, the board of supervisors may, by appropriate action at any regular or special meeting, authorize the cancellation or transfer, in whole or in part, of any appropriation or appropriations set forth in the budget and reappropriate funds thus canceled for road purposes not set forth in the budget or to expenditure classifications insufficiently provided for where this action will best serve the interests of the people. Funds transferred pursuant to this section, or as authorized by the board of supervisors, shall immediately be made available for expenditure by the road commissioner for road purposes.

Cal. Streets and Highways Code - SHC § 2008. Section 2008.

The board of supervisors shall fix the salary of the road commissioner. It shall be chargeable against the one thousand six hundred sixty-seven dollars ($1,667) monthly apportionment to the county under subdivision (a) of Section 2104. Such road commissioner shall be required to file an official bond in an amount determined by the board of supervisors, unless he is covered by a master bond pursuant to Section 1481 of the Government Code.

Cal. Streets and Highways Code - SHC § 2009. Section 2009.

The board of supervisors shall act as the policymaking body with respect to county highway matters and shall by appropriate action establish the general policies to be followed by the road commissioner in the administration of his department. The road commissioner shall administer his department and carry out the general policies of the board in conformity with the estimates of expenditures fixed in the budget as finally adopted by the board or as thereafter revised by appropriate action of the board. The commissioner shall employ such assistants and employees as may be necessary, in conformity with the budget and county policies and procedure with respect to personnel and subject to the approval of the board of the salary or other compensation to be paid. The commissioner shall have sole supervision and jurisdiction over personnel and over the assignments of personnel engaged in work on county roads. The commissioner may purchase, lease, or hire such equipment as may be necessary for county road purposes, in conformity with the budget and policies of the county with respect to purchases and rentals and subject to approval of the board as to the price or rental. The commissioner shall have sole jurisdiction over the assignment of equipment used for county road work.

Cal. Streets and Highways Code - SHC § 2010. Section 2010.

In order that the provisions of this chapter may be effectively carried out, the members of the board of supervisors of their respective counties shall make reasonable inspection from time to time of the roads within their counties maintained from funds supplied by this chapter. The additional mileage entailed by this section, not to exceed six hundred dollars ($600) in any one year, shall be a proper charge against and shall be paid from the one thousand six hundred sixty-seven dollars ($1,667) monthly apportionment to the county under subdivision (a) of Section 2104. Such mileage shall be deemed to be in addition to any other mileage allowed by law or county charter, and each supervisor who uses a privately owned automobile in the discharge of duties imposed upon him in connection with the county road system shall receive for the performance of such duties in addition to the compensation and any other allowances paid him as supervisor, but not in duplication of any other mileage allowed by law or county charter, twenty-five dollars ($25) per month for the first 250 miles traveled, without filing a report of the specific inspection tours requiring such mileage. For mileage traveled in excess of 250 miles, each supervisor shall be paid ten cents ($0.10) for each mile traveled up to 250 miles or twenty-five dollars ($25) for a total not to exceed 500 miles or fifty dollars ($50). The supervisor claiming such additional mileage shall file a report of the inspection tour or tours requiring such travel.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026