BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SCR 35|
|Office of Senate Floor Analyses | |
|1020 N Street, Suite 524 | |
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|327-4478 | |
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CONSENT
Bill No: SCR 35
Author: Simitian (D)
Amended: As introduced
Vote: 21
SENATE TRANSPORTATION & HOUSING COMMITTEE : 9-0, 5/10/11
AYES: DeSaulnier, Gaines, Harman, Huff, Kehoe, Lowenthal,
Pavley, Rubio, Simitian
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
SUBJECT : Don Burnett Bicycle-Pedestrian Bridge
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This resolution designates the bicycle and
pedestrian bridge that crosses State Highway Route 280 in
Santa Clara County as the "Don Burnett Bicycle-Pedestrian
Bridge."
ANALYSIS : Mr. Burnett was born in Kansas City, Kansas in
1931 and grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. He received a
degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of
Illinois in 1953 and a Master's Degree from the University
of California, Berkeley in 1958.
Mr. Burnett worked for 30 years with Lockheed Martin,
holding a patent on a device to measure vehicle
temperatures during reentry. Before joining Lockheed
Martin, Mr. Burnett spent time in the U.S. Navy, including
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a year-long position as commander of the Wilkes scientific
station in Antarctica during the International Geophysical
Year 1957-58.
Mr. Burnett's love of pedaling a bike began in the 1960s.
He attracted attention on the road in the early 1970s with
his Bell helmet, cycling shorts, and jerseys, according to
his wife, Nancy, of 50 years. His bike had large warning
lights to aid his commute in the dark to and from his job
at Lockheed Martin.
During his city council years from 1993 to 2001, he
experienced his first battle with breast cancer, but rarely
missed a council meeting. Also during that period, he
served six years as the local representative on the
executive board of the Association of Bay Area Governments,
and later volunteered for county-level advisory groups.
Mr. Burnett was also a part-time advocate for breast cancer
awareness, educating men that they, too, can be stricken by
breast cancer and encouraging them to have lumps in the
chest area examined early.
For recreation, Mr. Burnett was active in leading and
supporting bicycle rides for the Western Wheelers Bicycle
Club, Almaden Cycle Touring Club, and Skyline Cycling Club,
and was the recipient of many awards from those
organizations. He also served on the board of the Silicon
Valley Bicycle Coalition and, in 2005, received the
"Advocate of the Decade Award."
From 2004 until 2008, Mr. Burnett served the Valley
Transportation Authority as a volunteer on the Citizens
Advisory Committee and Citizens Watchdog Committee.
This resolution:
1. Designates the bicycle and pedestrian bridge that
crosses State Highway Route 280 at Mary Avenue between
the cities of Cupertino and Sunnyvale in Santa Clara
County as the "Don Burnett Bicycle-Pedestrian Bridge."
2. Requests the California Department of Transportation to
determine the cost of erecting appropriate signs,
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consistent with the signing requirements for the state
highway system, and, upon receiving donations from
nonstate sources sufficient to cover that cost, to erect
those signs.
FISCAL EFFECT : Fiscal Com.: Yes
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author's office,
the concept for the bicycle-pedestrian bridge was
originated in the early 1990s by bicycle advocate Don
Burnett. As a Cupertino city councilman, Mr. Burnett
played a major role in galvanizing support for the
bicycle-pedestrian bridge, currently referred to as the
Mary Avenue Bridge. When the steel suspension bridge
opened on April 30, 2009, Mr. Burnett was one of four
honorary residents to take the maiden bicycle ride across
the bridge. On September 11, 2010, Mr. Burnett lost his
battle with cancer. The purpose of the resolution is to
recognize Don Burnett for his numerous achievements and
contributions, especially to the cycling community, by
re-dedicating the Mary Avenue Bridge as the "Don Burnett
Bicycle-Pedestrian Bridge."
JJA:do 5/23/11 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: NONE RECEIVED
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