BILL ANALYSIS �
SENATE TRANSPORTATION & HOUSING COMMITTEE BILL NO: scr 85
SENATOR MARK DESAULNIER, CHAIRMAN AUTHOR: wolk
VERSION:
4/16/2012
Analysis by: Art Bauer FISCAL: yes
Hearing date: June 12, 2012
SUBJECT:
Dana Cowell Memorial Highway
DESCRIPTION:
This resolution designates a segment of State Route (SR) 12
between Potato Slough Bridge and Interstate 5 IN San Joaquin
County as the Dana Cowell Memorial Highway.
ANALYSIS:
The committee has adopted a policy regarding the naming of state
highways or structures. Under the policy, the committee will
consider only those resolutions that meet all of the following
criteria:
The person being honored must have provided
extraordinary public service or some exemplary contribution
to the public good and have a connection to the community
where the highway is located.
The person being honored must be deceased.
The naming must be done without cost to the state.
Costs for signs and plaques must be paid by local or
private sources.
The author or co-author of the resolution must represent
the district in which the facility is located and the
resolution must identify the specific highway segment or
structure being named.
The segment of highway being named must not exceed five
miles in length.
The proposed designation must reflect a community
SCR 85 (WOLK) Page 2
consensus and be without local opposition.
The proposed designation may not supersede an existing
designation unless the sponsor can document that a good
faith effort has uncovered no opposition to rescinding the
prior designation.
This resolution designates the portion of SR 12 between the
Potato Slough Bridge and Interstate 5 in San Joaquin County as
the Dana Cowell Memorial Highway. The resolution further
requests the Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to erect
appropriate signs upon receiving donations from non-state
sources to cover the costs.
COMMENTS:
1.Purpose . This resolution is intended to honor San Joaquin
County Council of Governments Deputy Executive Director Dana
Cowell.
2.Summary of Dana Cowell's achievements . Dana Cowell is a
native of Wisconsin and a graduate of the University of
Tennessee, where he both met his wife Van Ha To and earned a
Masters degree in urban planning.
Dana had an extensive career in transportation. His most
notable accomplishment is the critical safety improvements
along SR 12 through San Joaquin County. He led a partnership
with Caltrans to develop a $20 million program of intersection
upgrades between Interstate 5 and the Potato Slough Bridge.
He also worked with Sacramento and Bay Area transportation
leaders to craft the Northern California Trade Corridor
Projects, directed the organization of the Valley Wide State
Transportation Improvement Program, and initiated San Joaquin
Council of Government's efforts to advance modeling techniques
and planning tools in response to Senate Bill 375 (Steinberg),
Chapter 728), Statutes of 2008.
In 2011, Dana was named "Transportation Manager of the Year"
by the California Transportation Foundation for his dedication
to overcoming obstacles to the implementation of
transportation projects. A Caltrans official wrote in her
nomination of Dana for the award, "He has always instilled a
sense of trust between partners."
3.Consistent with committee's policy . This resolution is
consistent with all of the provisions of the committee's
SCR 85 (WOLK) Page 3
policy on highway designations.
POSITIONS: (Communicated to the committee before noon on
Wednesday,
June 6, 2012)
SUPPORT: None received.
OPPOSED: None received.