BILL NUMBER: ACR 123 CHAPTERED
BILL TEXT
RESOLUTION CHAPTER 104
FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE AUGUST 16, 2006
ADOPTED IN SENATE AUGUST 10, 2006
ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 4, 2006
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 1, 2006
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 18, 2006
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member La Suer
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Shirley Horton, Plescia, and Saldana)
(Coauthors: Senators Ducheny, Hollingsworth, and Kehoe)
FEBRUARY 23, 2006
Relative to Historic U.S. Highway Route 80.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
ACR 123, La Suer Historic U.S. Highway Route 80.
This measure would designate segments of former U.S. Highway Route
80 in San Diego and Imperial Counties as Historic U.S. Highway Route
80, and would request the Department of Transportation to design and
facilitate the posting of appropriate signs and take related actions
in that regard.
WHEREAS, The California segment of former U.S. Highway Route 80,
largely parallel to current Interstate 8, was a 180-mile highway
spanning San Diego and Imperial Counties from San Diego Bay to the
Colorado River, and played a major role in the development of this
state during much of the 20th century; and
WHEREAS, In 1909, California voters approved a statewide bond
measure for road improvement purposes in the amount of $18 million,
providing, among other things, funds to construct a road between San
Diego and Imperial Counties, and their county seats of San Diego and
El Centro; and
WHEREAS, In 1912, the San Diego to Phoenix and the Los Angeles to
Phoenix Road Race was won by San Diego, proving that the shortest
route to the east was via the San Diego route; and
WHEREAS, In 1915, a unique wood plank road was built over the
Imperial Valley sand hills, resulting in a shorter route; and
WHEREAS, In 1925, the federal government became involved in
standardized highway route designations across the nation and even
numbers were assigned to major highways running east and west, and
odd numbers for highway running north and south. The numbering of
highways proceeded in numerical order beginning in the north and east
and continuing south and west, respectively, and, as a result, the
routing along California's southern border was formally designated as
Route 80; and
WHEREAS, This road, from San Diego to Tybee Island, Georgia, was
adopted as U.S. Highway Route 80 of the designated federal highway
system on November 11, 1926, by state and federal officials; and
WHEREAS, In 1926, a new transcontinental road record was achieved
by Colonel Ed Fletcher of San Diego on this route; and
WHEREAS, Former U.S. Highway Route 80 was the first ocean-to-ocean
transcontinental highway to be completed, and portions of the route
were known as the Bankhead, Broadway of America, Dixie, Lee, Old
Spanish Trail, and Southern Transcontinental Highway; and
WHEREAS, Former U.S. Highway Route 80, in addition to its
importance as a transportation corridor, also has outstanding
natural, cultural, historic, and scenic qualities; and
WHEREAS, Over the years, former U.S. Highway Route 80 has conveyed
commerce and pleasure travelers whose needs were met by nearby
cities and communities; and
WHEREAS, The response to those needs resulted in the development
of adjacent environments or the retention of open space and
established the unique character of those areas; and
WHEREAS, Former U.S. Highway Route 80 served as the main street of
a number of California communities along its length, representing
areas of both state and local significance; and
WHEREAS, Although today largely supplanted by Interstate 8,
traversable segments of former U.S. Highway Route 80 remain, some as
secondary state highways and others relinquished to cities and
counties as local roads; and
WHEREAS, It is appropriate to designate any remaining segments of
former U.S. Highway Route 80 as Historic U.S. Highway Route 80; now,
therefore, be it
Resolved, by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby recognizes the
remaining segments of former U.S. Highway Route 80 for their
historical significance and importance in the development of
California, and designates those segments as Historic U.S. Highway
Route 80; and be it further
Resolved, That the Department of Transportation is requested, upon
application by a local agency or private entity, to identify any
remaining traversable segments of former U.S. Highway Route 80; and
be it further
Resolved, That the department is requested to determine the cost
of appropriate signs consistent with signing requirements for the
state highway system showing the special Historic U.S. Highway Route
80 designation, and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources
for that cost, to facilitate the erection of those signs at
appropriate locations on former U.S. Highway Route 80; and be it
further
Resolved, That the department is requested to develop consistent
signing standards for the placement of highway signs showing the
historic designation, which may be used by cities or counties to mark
the remaining segments of former U.S. Highway Route 80 within their
respective jurisdictions; and be it further
Resolved, That the designation of Historic U.S. Highway Route 80
pursuant to this resolution shall have no impact upon the future
planning or development of adjacent private and public properties;
and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the Director of Transportation and to the author
for appropriate distribution.