HOUSE AMENDED
PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1179
PRINTER'S NO. 1953
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
956
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY WARD, TEPLITZ, GREENLEAF, WHITE, TARTAGLIONE,
COSTA, HUTCHINSON, YUDICHAK, BARTOLOTTA, RAFFERTY, BREWSTER,
AUMENT, DINNIMAN AND MENSCH, JULY 15, 2015
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, JUNE 22, 2016
AN ACT
Designating a bridge on that portion of State Route 711 1017
over the Loyalhanna MILL Creek in Ligonier Township,
Westmoreland County, as the Lieutenant Eric Eslary Memorial
Bridge.; AND DESIGNATING A PORTION OF STATE ROUTE 981 IN
MOUNT PLEASANT TOWNSHIP, WESTMORELAND COUNTY, AS THE JAMES
PAUL TAKITCH HONORARY HIGHWAY.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Lieutenant Eric Eslary Memorial Bridge.
(a) Findings.--The General Assembly finds and declares as
follows:
(1) Lieutenant Eric Eslary was a native of Ligonier,
Westmoreland County, and a 17-year veteran of the Ligonier
Township Police Department.
(2) On May 5, 2015, Lieutenant Eslary was patrolling
Route 30 in Ligonier Township with his K-9 partner, Blek,
when his marked SUV was hit head on by a van operated by a
driver under the influence and driving the road the wrong
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way. Lieutenant Eslary sustained ultimately fatal injuries
and his K9 partner required veterinarian care. At the scene,
Blek refused to leave his partner's side.
(3) Lieutenant Eslary was a well-respected and committed
law enforcement officer who established his department's K-9
unit in 2000 and provided K-9 training assistance to other
departments across this Commonwealth. He was an instrumental
part of the Westmoreland County Drug Task Force through which
he provided drug abuse resistance education to local school
children and civic organizations.
(4) In addition to his duties with the police
department, Lieutenant Eslary was a long-time volunteer with
the Wilpen VOLUNTEER Fire Department, where he founded
successful fundraising efforts. He was also a member of the
local Masonic chapter and volunteered with various youth
sports associations in the county.
(b) Designation.--The bridge located on State Route 711 1017
in Ligonier Township, Westmoreland County, over the Loyalhanna
MILL Creek is hereby designated the Lieutenant Eric Eslary
Memorial Bridge.
(c) Signs.--The Department of Transportation shall erect and
maintain appropriate signs displaying the name of the bridge to
traffic in both directions on the bridge.
SECTION 2. JAMES PAUL TAKITCH HONORARY HIGHWAY.
(A) DESIGNATION.--THE SECTION OF STATE ROUTE 981 IN MOUNT
PLEASANT TOWNSHIP, WESTMORELAND COUNTY, FROM THE INTERSECTION OF
STATE ROUTE 981 AND STATE ROUTE 2021 TO THE INTERSECTION OF
STATE ROUTE 981 AND STATE ROUTE 130, IS HEREBY DESIGNATED THE
JAMES PAUL TAKITCH HONORARY HIGHWAY.
(B) SIGNS.--THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SHALL ERECT AND
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MAINTAIN APPROPRIATE SIGNS DISPLAYING THE NAME OF THE HIGHWAY TO
TRAFFIC IN BOTH DIRECTIONS ON THE HIGHWAY.
Section 2 3. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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