Contact: Andrew Bird @ (707) 445-7014; 498-2483

SACRAMENTO – The interchange under construction at Alton in Humboldt County will be called the “Roger M. Rodoni Memorial Interchange.”

Both houses of the state Legislature have approved Assembly Concurrent Resolution 182 by Assemblymember Wesley Chesbro (D-North Coast) that officially names the soon to open interchange at Highways 101 and 36 in Alton for Rodoni, who served as a Humboldt County supervisor from District 2 for nearly 12 years.

“Thanks to my fellow members in the Assembly and the Senate, ACR 182 was fast-tracked through the Legislature in time for the official opening of the interchange on September 10,” Chesbro said. “And I continue to be amazed by the constituents Roger once represented in Southern Humboldt, who have stepped up to not only pay for the signs, but have them installed in time for the dedication. I also want to thank Caltrans for its cooperation, which has helped bring this together so quickly.”

Under state law, memorial highway signs cannot be paid for with state funds.

Rodoni was finishing the final year of his third term as supervisor in April 2008 when he was killed in automobile accident on Highway 101 just south of the junction with Highway 36, where the new interchange is going in. Rodoni had been a major advocate for construction of the interchange before his death.

ACR 182 will designate the interchange, plus a mile-long stretch of Highway 101 a half mile on either side of the interchange (from milepost 57.19 to milepost 58.19), and a half mile section of Highway 36 (from milepost 0.0 to milepost 0.5) as the “Roger M. Rodoni Memorial Interchange.”  This resolution also will allow the placement of three memorial signs at the approaches to the interchange; two on Highway 101 in each direction and one on Highway 36 approaching the interchange from the east.

Caltrans will dedicate the Roger M. Rodoni Memorial Interchange at Sept. 10 ceremony for friends and family and local officials.

“I want to thank Assemblymember Chesbro for his hard work and quick action in the passage of ACR 182,” said Rodoni’s wife, Johanna. “It is touching to see so many people recognizing Roger for his impact and service to this community.”

In July, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to ask Chesbro to sponsor legislation naming the Alton interchange in Rodoni’s memory. Chesbro introduced ACR 182 on Aug. 2. The Assembly approved ACR 182 on Aug. 17 and the Senate approved it on Aug. 26.