State highways: naming and designation by the Legislature.

Existing law provides that the Department of Transportation shall have full possession and control of the state highway system. Existing law, when the Legislature, by concurrent resolution, has designated names for certain districts and state highway bridges and requested the placement of name plaques, authorizes the department to expend reasonable sums on those plaques. This bill would revise the existing provisions to also apply to designation of other transportation facilities owned and operated by the department, and would authorize the department to expend reasonable sums on plaques or signs for designated districts, highways, highway bridges, or other facilities only upon receipt of nonstate funds sufficient to cover the cost. This bill, notwithstanding these provisions, would, for calendar years 2012 and 2013, provide that no highways, bridges, or other transportation facilities owned and operated by the department or districts through which a state highway passes shall be named or otherwise designated by the Legislature, and no plaques or signs shall be erected by the department to reflect the naming or designation of a highway, bridge, other transportation facility, or district during those calendar years.