WHEREAS, James E. “Jim” Roberts is deserving of special public commendation in recognition of his exemplary career with the Department of Transportation (Caltrans) as a structural engineer for a half-century; and

WHEREAS, Jim Roberts graduated with a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering and began his engineering career with Caltrans in the summer of 1953, but was deployed six weeks later to active duty in Korea as a commissioned second lieutenant in the Army, where he was involved in the rebuilding of damaged bridges after the war ended, and remained in the Army Reserves until he retired as a colonel in 1985 after 33 years of active and reserve duty; and

WHEREAS, Jim Roberts returned to Caltrans in the summer of 1955 to what was then the Bridge Department, Construction Branch, and began working on the Highway 101 Bypass in Cotati and eventually was moved to work on the “Grapevine” project in Bakersfield, where he began a four-year trek over the hill after work, to the University of Southern California (USC), returning home around midnight, to earn his Master of Science degree in Structural Engineering from USC in 1966; and

WHEREAS, Jim Roberts worked his way up through the ranks at Caltrans, until in 1981 he was promoted to Deputy of Engineering, and then became the project director representing Caltrans in working with the City and County of Sacramento and the Sacramento Regional Transit District to build the light rail project; and

WHEREAS, Jim Roberts, with the light rail project winding up in 1985, returned to Caltrans as the manager of bridge design, and on July 1, 1987, became the Division Chief of the Division of Structures, equivalent to Assistant State Highway Engineer; and

WHEREAS, Jim Roberts then became the Chief Bridge Engineer, and was instrumental in establishing seismic performance criteria following the Loma Prieta Earthquake of 1989; and

WHEREAS, Jim Roberts recognized the need for a better training program for young engineers and established the Bridge Design Academy, and was instrumental in creating opportunities for women to promote into higher positions in engineering; and

WHEREAS, Jim Roberts was active in over 17 professional organizations, including State President of the Professional Engineers in California Government in 1972; wrote over 50 papers and publications on bridges and other transportation issues; and was the recipient of over 20 professional awards during his career; and

WHEREAS, Jim Roberts retired in 2001 from Caltrans, and died on July 6, 2006; and

WHEREAS, It is appropriate to recognize Jim Roberts’ many years of service to Caltrans and to the people of California by designating a bridge in his memory; now, therefore, be it