PRINTER'S NO. 2681
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
2296
Session of
2022
INTRODUCED BY DALEY, STAATS, HILL-EVANS, SANCHEZ, FREEMAN,
GUENST, RYAN, LONGIETTI, O'MARA, BURNS, COX, GILLEN,
SAMUELSON, JOZWIAK, WARNER, MADDEN, NEILSON AND HOWARD,
JANUARY 27, 2022
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, JANUARY 27, 2022
AN ACT
Designating the portion of Interstate 76, also known as the
Schuylkill Expressway, from Mile Marker 334.5 to Mile Marker
335.5 in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, as the
Firefighter Thomas Royds Memorial Highway.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Firefighter Thomas Royds Memorial Highway.
(a) Findings and declarations.--The General Assembly finds
and declares as follows:
(1) A career firefighter, Thomas Royds was born on
October 7, 1972, in Philadelphia.
(2) Mr. Royds grew up in Belmont Hills where he
graduated from Harriton High School and earned his
associate's degree from Delaware Community College.
(3) In 1988, Mr. Royds started his fire-fighting career
as a volunteer with the Union Fire Association of Lower
Merion and the Belmont Hills Fire Company, following in both
his father's and grandfather's footsteps.
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(4) In 2014, Mr. Royds joined the Clifton Heights Fire
Company as a volunteer firefighter where he held various
leadership positions over the last five years, most recently
holding the rank of captain.
(5) Mr. Royds was a proud member of the Lower Merion
Professional Firefighters Association International
Association of Fire Fighters Local 2844, and served with the
Lower Merion Fire Department.
(6) In 2019, after over 30 years of service, Mr. Royds
was brought on as a full-time career firefighter at the Union
Fire Association of Lower Merion, where he had previously
earned the rank of Captain as a volunteer, and served as the
Company's career Lieutenant. Mr. Royds also served as a
career firefighter/driver with the Belmont Hills Fire
Company.
(7) At one point or another during his career, Mr. Royds
held every board position for the Union Fire Association of
Lower Merion's Active Members Club.
(8) On July 24, 2021, Firefighter Thomas Royds was
struck and killed by a motorist while responding with the
Belmont Hills Fire Company to an accident on the Schuylkill
Expressway at the age of 48.
(9) On July 27, 2021, the Governor ordered the
Commonwealth flag on all Commonwealth facilities, public
buildings and grounds in Montgomery County to fly at half-
staff in honor of Firefighter Thomas Royds.
(b) Designation.--The portion of Interstate 76, also known
as the Schuylkill Expressway, from mile marker 334.5 to mile
marker 335.5 in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, is
designated the Firefighter Thomas Royds Memorial Highway.
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(c) Signs.--The Department of Transportation shall erect and
maintain appropriate signs displaying the name of the highway to
traffic in both directions on the highway.
Section 2. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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