A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION, Supporting the designation of a portion of U.S. Highway 12 as the Helen Miller Memorial Highway.

WHEREAS, the late Helen Miller of Aberdeen, a member of the South Dakota Hall of Fame, was keenly involved in economic development in northeastern South Dakota before her death in 2002; and

WHEREAS, as the first woman to chair the board of directors of the Aberdeen Area Chamber of Commerce, Helen Miller was steadfast in her efforts to attract business and industry to Aberdeen and the northeast; and

WHEREAS, Helen Miller believed good highways to be essential to economic development, supporting such efforts as the highway bypass at the west side of Aberdeen to help commerce flow smoothly; and

WHEREAS, Helen Miller was credited by economic development officials, engineers, and politicians alike as playing the decisive role in efforts to expand U.S. Highway 12 from two lanes to four lanes between Interstate 29 and the city of Groton, thus providing a four-lane connection all the way from Aberdeen to the Interstate;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Senate of the One Hundredth Legislature of the State of South Dakota, the House of Representatives concurring therein, that the South Dakota Legislature supports the designation of U.S. Highway 12 from Interstate 29 to the city of Groton as the Helen Miller Memorial Highway and requests that the Transportation Commission make consider making the designation and, if appropriate, provide for the proper posting of the highway as a fitting means of honoring the foremost advocate of this important transportation corridor.