Coronado’s Third and Fourth Streets Planning Community (TAF) is currently examining how the Blue Star Memorial Highway program can be incorporated into the Avenue of Heroes. The Avenue of Heroes, a proposed theme for State Routes (SR 282) and (SR 75) form the Coronado Bay Bridge to Naval Air Station North Island (NASNI). The Avenue of Heroes would honor those who served in the armed forces as well as integrate traffic improvements into the Third and Fourth streets corridor.
The Blue Star Memorial Highway began after World War II to pay tribute to the nation’s armed forces by designating state and national routes as Blue Star Memorial Highways. In 1945, the National Council of State Garden Clubs, Inc. approved the Blue Star Memorial Highway Marker program. California Garden Clubs, Inc. accepted the program in 1947. Caltrans’ policy is to cooperate with the California Garden Clubs, Inc. in erecting and maintaining memorial markers on highways designated as Blue Star Memorial Highways by the California legislature.
There are 18 dedicated Blue Star Highways and 58 highway markers in California. San Diego County has 16 markers, including Highway Markers at the Aliso Creek rest area and the Interstate 5 San Ysidro border crossing.There are Byway Markers throughout the county,including those installed at Chula Vista’s Veterans Elementary School, Fallbrook’s Village Square, and Lake Poway. Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in Point Loma has a Memorial Marker. Currently, there are no Blue Star Markers in Coronado.
According to TAF, SR 75 and 282 from the San Diego-Coronado Bridge to Third and Fourth Streets should be designated as Blue Star Highways. TAF has proposed this designation to the Garden Clubs of Coronado, which will present the proposal to their boards in March 2014. Highways are designated as Blue Star Memorial Highways by the California Legislature and it is the responsibility of the California Garden Clubs, Inc. to initiate and sponsor Legislative resolutions through their local legislators.
The markers range from $450 for byway markers to $1400 for large markers, with funds usually acquiredthrough donations. The California Garden Clubs, Inc. normally conducts a dedication ceremony at the site after a marker has been erected.
Toni McGowan
Third and Fourth Streets Planning Community (TAF)
