This measure would designate the overpass on San Juan Road over State Highway 101 in the City of Aromas and the County of San Benito as The Red Barn Overpass. The measure would also designate specified portions of State Route 183 and State Highway 101 in the County of Monterey as the Chief Warrant Officer 2 Edward Balli Memorial Highway, the Specialist Ricardo Cerros, Jr. Memorial Highway, and the Sgt. Javier Sanchez Memorial Highway.

The measure would request the Department of Transportation to determine the cost of appropriate signs showing each of these special designations and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources covering that cost, to erect those signs.

This measure would designate a portion of State Highway Route 152 in the City of Watsonville and the County of Santa Cruz as the Dolores Huerta Highway.

The measure would also request the Department of Transportation to determine the cost of appropriate signs showing this special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources covering that cost, to erect those signs.

WHEREAS, United States Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Edward Balli from Salinas, California, was killed in action in Afghanistan on January 20, 2014, and received two Bronze Stars for his service in Iraq and Afghanistan; and

WHEREAS, United States Army Specialist Ricardo Cerros, Jr. from Salinas, California, was killed in action in Afghanistan on October 8, 2011, and received the Purple Heart; and

WHEREAS, United States Army Sgt. Javier Sanchez from Greenfield, California, was killed in action in Afghanistan on June 23, 2013; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby designates the overpass on San Juan Road that passes over State Highway 101 near the Big Red Barn in the City of Aromas and the County of San Benito as The Red Barn Overpass; portion of State Route 183 from Davis Road to Espinosa Road in the City of Salinas in the County of Monterey as the Chief Warrant Officer 2 Edward Balli Memorial Highway; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature hereby designates the portion of State Highway 101 from John Street in the City of Salinas to Exit 317 in Chualar in the County of Monterey as the Specialist Ricardo Cerros, Jr. Memorial Highway; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature hereby designates the portion of State Highway 101 from Arroyo Seco Road to Teague Avenue in the City of Soledad in the County of Monterey from Arroyo Seco Road to Teague Avenue as the Sgt. Javier Sanchez Memorial Highway; and be it further

Resolved, That the Department of Transportation is requested to determine the cost of appropriate signs showing each of these special designations, consistent with the signing requirements for the state highway system, and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources covering that cost, sufficient to cover the cost of the signs for which the donations were made, to erect those signs; 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.

WHEREAS, The Big Red Barn located off State Highway 101 in Aromas, California, was built by Kaiser Aluminum for the Ellingwood Hay Company in 1945 during World War II; and

WHEREAS, People from all over the world have traveled to the Big Red Barn for its famous Disneyana and antiques, building its reputation as a historical landmark; and

WHEREAS, For over 40 years, the Big Red Barn has served as the site for the Big Red Barn Flea Market, one of the largest regular gatherings in the region encompassing the Counties of San Benito and Monterey; and

WHEREAS, The flea market is host to many different small vendors and individuals who travel from all over the region to sell all kinds of products and local specialties; and

WHEREAS, During these Sunday gatherings, sellers and shoppers from many different ethnic backgrounds seek to do commerce harmoniously with one another; and

WHEREAS, This piece of history is a symbol of diversity and has become renowned for its significance in the local community and its importance in bringing people and cultures from all walks of life together; and

WHEREAS, United States Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Edward Balli from Salinas, California, was killed in action in Afghanistan on January 20, 2014, and received two Bronze Stars for his service in Iraq and Afghanistan; and

WHEREAS, United States Army Specialist Ricardo Cerros, Jr. from Salinas, California, was killed in action in Afghanistan on October 8, 2011, and received the Purple Heart; and

WHEREAS, United States Army Sgt. Javier Sanchez from Greenfield, California, was killed in action in Afghanistan on June 23, 2013; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby designates the overpass on San Juan Road that passes over State Highway 101 near the Big Red Barn in the City of Aromas and the County of San Benito as The Red Barn Overpass; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature hereby designates the portion of State Route 183 in the City of Salinas from Davis Road to Espinosa Road in the County of Monterey as the Chief Warrant Officer 2 Edward Balli Memorial Highway; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature hereby designates the portion of State Highway 101 from John Street in the City of Salinas to Exit 317 in Chualar in the County of Monterey as the Specialist Ricardo Cerros, Jr. Memorial Highway; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature hereby designates the portion of State Highway 101 in the City of Soledad in the County of Monterey from Arroyo Seco Road to Teague Avenue the Sgt. Javier Sanchez Memorial Highway; and be it further

Resolved, That the Department of Transportation is requested to determine the cost of appropriate signs showing these special designations, consistent with the signing requirements for the state highway system, and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources covering that cost, to erect those signs; 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.

WHEREAS, Dolores Huerta, born April 10, 1930, is a labor leader and civil rights activist who, along with Cesar Chavez, cofounded the National Farm Workers Association, which later became the United Farm Workers of America (UFW), and gained national attention after she led a boycott of table grapes in the 1960s; and

WHEREAS, Dolores Huerta has recieved numerous awards for her community service and advocacy for the rights of workers, immigrants, and women, including the Eugene V. Debs Foundation Outstanding American Award, the Eleanor Roosevelt Award for Human Rights, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom; and

WHEREAS, Dolores Huerta spent time in the City of Watsonville organizing farmworkers for fair treatment; and

WHEREAS, Dolores Huerta led a boycott of table grapes in the 1960s, which was supported by an estimated 17 million Americans and brought the plight of farmworkers into the public eye, leading to the passage of the California Agricultural Labor Relations Act, which allowed farmworkers the right to organize and bargain for better working conditions and higher wages; and

WHEREAS, Dolores Huerta also helped lead a 10-year effort to gain amnesty for farmworkers who had lived, worked, and paid taxes in the United States, resulting in the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, which granted amnesty to 1.4 million farmworkers; and

WHEREAS, After leaving the UFW in 2002, Dolores Huerta began focusing her attention on a host of other issues, including immigration, quality education for Latino children, feminism, equality for women, and reproductive freedom; and

WHEREAS, As the president of the Dolores Huerta Foundation, Dolores Huerta organizes forums and programs that focus on social justice and public policy issues, and encourages people to participate in elections to help choose their representatives; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby designates the portion of State Highway Route 152 from Carlton Road to Main Street to the junction with State Highway Route 1 in the City of Watsonville and the County of Santa Cruz as the Dolores Huerta Highway; and be it further

Resolved, That the Department of Transportation is requested 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 that cost, to erect those signs; 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.

Date of Hearing: August 29, 2016

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Jim Frazier, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:ACR 91 (

Author:Alejo) – As Amended Ver:August 17, 2016

SUBJECT: Memorial highways

SUMMARY: Designates an overpass passing over United States Highway 101 (US 101) in San Benito County as “The Red Barn Overpass,” a portion of State Highway Route 183 (SR 183) in Monterey County as the “Chief Warrant Officer 2 Edward Balli Memorial Highway,” a portion of US 101 in Monterey County as the “Specialist Ricardo Cerros, Jr. Memorial Highway,” and another portion of US 101 in Monterey County as the “Sgt. Javier Sanchez Memorial Highway.” Specifically, this resolution:

1. Recounts the significance of the Big Red Barn, a landmark located in Monterey County.
2. Recounts the lives and accomplishments of Edward Balli, an United States Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 from Salinas, Ricardo Cerros, Jr., an United States Army Specialist from Salinas, and Javier Sanchez, a United States Army Sergeant from Greenfield, who were killed in action in Afghanistan.
3. Designates the overpass of San Juan Road passing over US 101 in Aromas in San Benito County as “The Red Barn Overpass,” the portion of SR 183 from Davis Road in the City of Salinas to Espinosa Road in Monterey County as the “Chief Warrant Officer 2 Edward Balli Memorial Highway,” the portion of US 101 from John Street in the City of Salinas to Exit 317 in Monterey County as the “Specialist Ricardo Cerros, Jr. Memorial Highway,” and the portion of US 101 from Arroyo Seco Road to Teague Avenue in Monterey County as the “Sgt. Javier Sanchez Memorial Highway.”
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: Edward Balli, of Salinas, was a Chief Warrant Officer 2 in the United States Army and was killed in action in Afghanistan on January 20, 2014. He received two Bronze Stars for his service in Iraq and Afghanistan. Ricardo Cerros, Jr., also of Salinas, was a Specialist in the United States Army and was killed in action in Afghanistan on October 8, 2011. He received a Purple Heart. Javier Sanchez, of Greenfield, was a Sergeant in the United States Army and was killed in action in Afghanistan on June 23, 2013. This resolution designating specific segments of highways in the honor of these fallen soldiers acknowledges the sacrifices they made for their country.

The Big Red Barn is a landmark and site of a flea market in Monterey County built in 1945. It is recognized for its significance to the communities in the region of Monterey County and San Benito County.

Advertising on the state highway system is strictly regulated by existing law. Because the Big Red Barn is also the site of a commercial enterprise, designating a component of the state highway system and erecting signs with its name may constitute an advertising display, and as such, may be illegal under existing law. Separate processes exist for the designation and signage of historical landmarks on the state highway system. Those processes may be the appropriate means to recognize this particular landmark.

Proposed author’s amendment: To avoid any potential questions of legality, the author proposes amendments striking all clauses relating to the Big Red Barn from this resolution.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

None on file

Opposition

None on file

Analysis Prepared by: Justin Behrens / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093