A Stretch of Highway 34 is Getting a New Name to Honor a Local WWII Hero

What This Bill Actually Does

At the Colorado Capitol, not every piece of legislation is about creating new regulations, changing tax codes, or debating state budgets. Some measures are purely designed to recognize Coloradans who have left an indelible mark on our state and our country. Senate Joint Resolution 26-011 (SJR26-011) is exactly that kind of measure. It officially renames the portion of U.S. Highway 34 located between Wilson Ave. and North County Rd. 23H in Loveland as the "Sgt. John 'Jack' Thurman Memorial Highway."

To understand why the General Assembly is moving this resolution forward, you have to look at the remarkable life of the man it honors. Sgt. Thurman, who recently passed away at 99 years old on February 1, 2025, was a survivor of Iwo Jima and a member of the original "Carlson's Raiders" special forces group. He was actually one of the few soldiers pictured in the iconic "Gung Ho" photograph of U.S. Marines atop Japan's Mt. Suribachi. During the battle, he provided sniper coverage for the six original flag raisers, secured tunnels, rescued personnel from a downed B-29 bomber under direct fire, and located a strategic map that directly impacted the outcome of the war.

But this resolution also recognizes his massive footprint here in Colorado after the war. As a successful architect and designer, Thurman helped shape the physical landscape of our state. He was heavily involved in designing the University of Colorado Engineering Center, the U.S. Marine Corps Memorial in Golden, and the Admiral Arleigh Burke Memorial in Boulder. From a legislative mechanics standpoint, this measure authorizes the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to designate the highway and put up the physical signs. Because it is a Joint Resolution rather than a standard bill, it serves as a formal, concurrent statement from both the State Senate and the House of Representatives honoring his legacy, without needing to rewrite state statutes.

What It Means for You

If you live in Northern Colorado, commute through Loveland, or regularly take Highway 34 up toward Estes Park, you might be wondering how this impacts your daily drive. The short answer is: it doesn't change your commute, your speed limits, or your GPS navigation in any disruptive way. This is an honorific overlay, meaning the legal and functional operations of the road remain exactly the same. What you will notice in the coming months is the installation of prominent memorial signage between Wilson Ave. and N. County Rd. 23H marking the tribute.

Here is the part that actually matters for local residents: there is a common misconception that the state spends millions of taxpayer dollars putting up these memorial highway signs. That is not the case here. State law and the specific language of SJR26-011 dictate that CDOT will rely entirely on gifts, grants, and donations to pay for the initial placement of these signs. This means local veterans' organizations—like the Loveland VFW or the American Legion, where Sgt. Thurman served as Commander—will likely be stepping up alongside local residents to pool funds and make this physical memorial a reality.

It is also a profound reminder of the living history in our own backyards. Sgt. Thurman was a fixture in the community, throwing out coin tosses for the Broncos and the CU Buffaloes, and even completing the Bolder Boulder in 2016 in a wheelchair pushed by his daughter, retired U.S. Navy Commander Karen Thurman.

Action Items for Residents:

• Look out for local fundraising efforts: If you want to contribute to local history, keep an eye on the Loveland VFW or Larimer County civic groups. They will likely be launching a donation drive to cover CDOT's costs for fabricating and installing the highway signs.
• Share the history: The next time you are driving past the CU Engineering Center in Boulder or heading down this specific stretch of Highway 34, take a moment to share the story of Jack Thurman's heroism and architectural legacy with your family.

What It Means for Your Business

When business owners hear that the state legislature is passing a resolution regarding a major local highway, the first instinct is usually to worry about construction delays, new routing regulations, or zoning impacts. You can breathe easy on this one. SJR26-011 does not introduce any new regulatory compliance, commercial transport restrictions, or tax burdens for businesses operating along the Highway 34 corridor in Loveland.

If your storefront, warehouse, or office is located directly on the affected stretch between Wilson Ave. and North County Rd. 23H, you do not need to update your business licenses, change your official mailing address with the USPS, or reprint your marketing materials. The physical street address remains the same for all commercial and municipal purposes. The memorial name acts strictly as a secondary, honorific designation. However, from a community relations standpoint, businesses in Loveland and Larimer County have a unique opportunity here. Because the state relies on private funding for these signs, local businesses often act as primary sponsors to help veterans' groups reach their fundraising goals.

Additionally, for contractors and civil vendors who operate in the Northern Colorado area, there are minor logistical ripples. Once the community raises the necessary funds, CDOT will need to execute the fabrication and installation of the signage. While CDOT often handles this internally, local agreements sometimes involve municipal public works departments or specialized local vendors for specialized memorial installations and long-term upkeep.

Action Items for Business Owners:

• Consider a corporate sponsorship: If your business is rooted in Northern Colorado, reaching out to the Loveland VFW or Larimer County Commissioners to help sponsor the sign donation fund is a high-visibility, high-impact way to build community goodwill.
• Review your local marketing: If you rely on landmark-based directions to guide customers to your location on Highway 34, be aware that locals may start referring to this corridor as the "Jack Thurman Highway" once the signs go up. Updating your localized SEO or website directions to reflect this could be a smart, community-focused touch.

Follow the Money

When it comes to the fiscal impact of this resolution, the footprint on the state's general budget is practically zero. You won't see a fiscal note projecting millions of dollars in state expenditures because SJR26-011 strictly dictates how this project is funded. The resolution explicitly authorizes CDOT to accept and expend gifts, grants, and donations for the initial placement of the highway signs. This financial guardrail is standard operating procedure at the Capitol for memorial designations, intentionally designed to ensure that the state's general transportation funds are not diverted away from critical infrastructure repairs, snow removal, or road safety improvements.

As for the long-term financial reality, highway signs don't last forever. They fade, take weather damage, or need to be replaced. To manage this future liability without burdening state taxpayers, the resolution allows CDOT to explore a cooperative maintenance agreement with the City of Loveland, Larimer County, or both. This means that while private donations cover the upfront capital, local municipal budgets might eventually absorb the very minor, long-term maintenance costs associated with keeping the memorial signs standing over the coming decades.

Where This Bill Stands

This resolution is moving through the Capitol smoothly, quickly, and with total bipartisan support—exactly as you would expect for a measure honoring a highly respected, 99-year-old WWII veteran with deep community ties. Introduced in the Senate by Senators Janice Marchman and Barbara Kirkmeyer, it boasts a massive list of co-sponsors from both sides of the political aisle.

As of February 10, 2026, the measure passed its initial hurdles in the Senate and was laid over for Third Reading on February 12, 2026, with absolutely no amendments. Because this is a Joint Resolution rather than a statutory bill, it does not require the Governor's signature to take effect. It simply needs to pass the Senate and then gain concurrent approval in the House, where Representative Andrew Boesenecker is leading the charge as the prime sponsor. Given the widespread respect for Sgt. Thurman and the lack of state funding required, this resolution is essentially a lock for final approval. The real timeline for when you will see the signs installed depends entirely on how quickly the local Northern Colorado community can organize and raise the donation funds required by CDOT.