BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SCR 45
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Date of Hearing: September 11, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
Jim Frazier, Chair
SCR
45 (Berryhill) - As Amended July 6, 2015
SENATE VOTE: 38-0
SUBJECT: Joe Levy Memorial Highway
SUMMARY: Redesignates a portion of State Highway Route (SR) 41
in Fresno County as the "Joe Levy Memorial Highway" instead of
the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Freeway, which shall be
shifted southward and remain the same length. Specifically,
this resolution:
1)Recounts the life and accomplishments of Joe Levy, a Fresno
businessman and civic leader.
2)Redesignates the portion of SR 41 from Bullard Avenue to
Herndon Avenue in the Fresno County as the "Joe Levy Memorial
Highway."
3)Adjusts the portion of SR 41 designated as the "Dwight D.
Eisenhower Memorial Freeway" to be the portion between Golden
State Boulevard and Bullard Avenue in Fresno County.
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4)Requests that the California Department of Transportation
(Caltrans) determine the cost of appropriate signs, consistent
with the signing requirements for the state highway system,
showing the special designation and, upon receiving donations
from non-state sources covering that cost, to erect those
signs.
EXISTING LAW: Assigns Caltrans the responsibility of operating
and maintaining state highways. This includes the installation
and maintenance of highway signs.
FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown, but the measure requests that Caltrans
only erect the appropriate signage upon receiving donations from
non-state sources covering the cost.
COMMENTS: Joe Levy was a Fresno businessman and civic leader
involved in numerous local organizations, including the Boy
Scouts of America, the American Red Cross, the Fresno Arts
Council, and the Fresno Area Chamber of Commerce. He held
several positions at Gottschalks, and was named CEO and Chairman
in 1982, becoming the third generation of the Gottschalk family
to hold a top executive post. While with the company, Mr. Levy
helped the single independent store in downtown Fresno expand to
a chain of about 80 stores and 29 specialty stores in six
states. Mr. Levy's list of accolades and service includes the
Leon S. Peters Award for community service from the Fresno
Chamber of Commerce, president of the Fresno Chamber of
Commerce, awards from the City of Hope and the Fresno
Advertising Federation Foundation, service on the Board of
Trustees during the founding of the University of California,
Merced, the Business Advisor Council for the Craig School of
Business at Fresno State University, the Executive Committee for
the Fresno Business Council, cofounder and sustaining sponsor of
the annual Central California Women's Conference, board member
of the National Retail Federation and board member of the Fresno
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County Transportation Authority. Mr. Levy also served on the
California Transportation Commission from 1983 to 1991,
including as chairman in 1986. Mr. Levy died on February 10,
2014 and is survived by his wife, three children, and nine
grandchildren. This resolution designating a portion of SR 41
in his honor acknowledges the significant contributions Joe Levy
made to his community. This resolution also alters the location
of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Highway by one mile to
avoid conflicting designations.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
California Transportation Commission
Fresno Chamber of Commerce
Honorable Steve Brandau, Fresno City Councilmember
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by:Justin Behrens / TRANS. / (916)
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319-2093