Section 47. Firefighter Thomas Royds Memorial Highway.
(a) Findings.--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 firefighting 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.
(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.
(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.