BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  ACR 160
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   June 7, 2010

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
                               Bonnie Lowenthal, Chair
                ACR 160 (V. Manuel Perez) - As Amended:  May 24, 2010
           
          SUBJECT  :  State Route 111

           SUMMARY  :  Designates a segment of State Route (SR) 111 the  
          Imperial Valley Pioneers Expressway.  Specifically,  this bill  :  

          1)Recounts the transformation of the Imperial Valley from a  
            desert into a thriving agricultural community.  

          2)Designates the portion of SR 111 between SR 8 and SR 78, in  
            Imperial County, as the Imperial Valley Pioneers Expressway.  

          3)Requests the Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to  
            determine the cost of appropriate signs consistent with the  
            signing requirements for the state highway system showing this  
            special designation and, upon receiving donations from  
            nonstate sources sufficient to cover the cost.  

           EXISTING LAW  :  Assigns Caltrans the responsibility to operate  
          and maintain state highways.  This includes the installation and  
          maintenance of highway signs.  

           FISCAL EFFECT  :  Unknown

           COMMENTS  :  In the early 20th century, courageous pioneers from  
          throughout the world relocated to the vast desert area now  
          called the Imperial Valley, staking their future on its  
          agricultural promise.  They consisted of a patchwork quilt of  
          peoples - including African American, Chinese, East Indian,  
          Filipino, French, German, Greek, Irish, Italian, Japanese  
          American, Lebanese, Mexican, Portuguese, and Swiss -- that has  
          contributed to California's rich diversity today.  

          These pioneers leveled their own land and constructed the first  
          roads and canals, making way for the development of homes,  
          schools, businesses, and places of worship.  Their  
          determination, ingenuity, and hard work helped to create a  
          thriving $1 billion annual agricultural economy, making it one  
          of the most productive farming regions in California.  









                                                                  ACR 160
                                                                  Page  2

          This resolution seeks to commemorate the remarkable modern  
          history of the irrigated desert and of the people who settled  
          it.  

           REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION  :  

           Support 
           
          El Centro City Council
          City of Holtville
          City of Imperial
          Imperial County Historical Society

           Opposition 
           
          None on file
           

          Analysis Prepared by  :   Howard Posner / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093