A section of I-5 in the San Fernando Valley will carry Ritchie Valens name

[bing101]

http://kfiam640.iheart.com/content/2017-09-01-stretch-of-la-freeway-to-be-named-for-50s-rocker/

Yes the Golden State Freeway will carry the name of Richie Valens.

[Quillz]

Okay.

[Occidental Tourist]

I cannot wait until the day that for every 100 yards I drive, I will be on a differently-named freeway than the last 100 yards upon which I traveled.

Not only is it convenient for travelers to know that so many dead people did things deserving of a mention, but the dead really appreciate it as well.

[sparker]

When I lived down in the L.A. area, the only freeway named after a person that was mentioned on radio/TV traffic reports was the Ronald Reagan Freeway (CA 118) -- probably since the name encompassed the whole freeway rather than simply a portion.  Honoring the deceased -- particularly the more honorable of those -- is all well and good, but in the larger picture these designations are largely ignored by the general public (just another secondary informational BGS that doesn't get read!).  The 5 is the 5, or possibly (and more infrequently) the "Golden State" or "Santa Ana" freeways within local lore; any subsequent designation notwithstanding -- and this follows for CA freeways in general.

[Desert Man]

I cannot wait until the day that for every 100 yards I drive, I will be on a differently-named freeway than the last 100 yards upon which I traveled.

Not only is it convenient for travelers to know that so many dead people did things deserving of a mention, but the dead really appreciate it as well.

A section of CA SR 111 in the city of Palm Springs will be named for 2 recently killed city police officers: Jose Vega and Leslie Zerebny, from Windy Point to Tramway Road (about 3 miles). Local community leaders felt this is to pay tribute, honor and respect to the very people who protect and serve their city.

[ARMOURERERIC]

The last time I was on 5, the pavement did look like it was hit by a La Bomba

[sparker]

The last time I was on 5, the pavement did look like it was hit by a La Bomba

True that -- and that's regardless of where on the nearly 800 miles of CA I-5 you are; if you're a CA resident driving south on I-5 from Oregon, you have to be ashamed of your transportation agency the moment you cross the state line and hit 43-year-old concrete pavement that should have been replaced two decades ago!  Despite sporadic overlays and other "band-aids", I-5 is overworked, undermaintained, and generally not much of a pleasure on which to drive.  It'll be interesting to see how the newest L.A.-area upgrade between CA 91 and I-605 will look in 15-20 years (if I'm around that long!); from past experience, I'm betting it won't be too pretty!

[kkt]

The last time I was on 5, the pavement did look like it was hit by a La Bomba

True that -- and that's regardless of where on the nearly 800 miles of CA I-5 you are; if you're a CA resident driving south on I-5 from Oregon, you have to be ashamed of your transportation agency the moment you cross the state line and hit 43-year-old concrete pavement that should have been replaced two decades ago!  Despite sporadic overlays and other "band-aids", I-5 is overworked, undermaintained, and generally not much of a pleasure on which to drive.  It'll be interesting to see how the newest L.A.-area upgrade between CA 91 and I-605 will look in 15-20 years (if I'm around that long!); from past experience, I'm betting it won't be too pretty!

But CalTrans did finally get around to repaving I-80 between Richmond and Vacaville!

[Occidental Tourist]

I cannot wait until the day that for every 100 yards I drive, I will be on a differently-named freeway than the last 100 yards upon which I traveled.

Not only is it convenient for travelers to know that so many dead people did things deserving of a mention, but the dead really appreciate it as well.

A section of CA SR 111 in the city of Palm Springs will be named for 2 recently killed city police officers: Jose Vega and Leslie Zerebny, from Windy Point to Tramway Road (about 3 miles). Local community leaders felt this is to pay tribute, honor and respect to the very people who protect and serve their city.

So, I should make a left on State Route 111/North Palm Canyon Drive/Jose Vega-Leslie Zerebny Memorial Highway if I'm coming out of Mountain Gate and want to go into downtown Palm Springs?

I was going to try to call for help for a stranded motorist on that stretch of highway, but when the CHP dispatcher asked for the location, and I responded, "Vega-Zerebny Memorial Highway," the dispatcher had no idea what I was talking about.

There are better ways to honor the fallen than confusing the hell out of out-of-town motorists.

[mrsman]

I cannot wait until the day that for every 100 yards I drive, I will be on a differently-named freeway than the last 100 yards upon which I traveled.

Not only is it convenient for travelers to know that so many dead people did things deserving of a mention, but the dead really appreciate it as well.

A section of CA SR 111 in the city of Palm Springs will be named for 2 recently killed city police officers: Jose Vega and Leslie Zerebny, from Windy Point to Tramway Road (about 3 miles). Local community leaders felt this is to pay tribute, honor and respect to the very people who protect and serve their city.

So, I should make a left on State Route 111/North Palm Canyon Drive/Jose Vega-Leslie Zerebny Memorial Highway if I'm coming out of Mountain Gate and want to go into downtown Palm Springs?

I was going to try to call for help for a stranded motorist on that stretch of highway, but when the CHP dispatcher asked for the location, and I responded, "Vega-Zerebny Memorial Highway," the dispatcher had no idea what I was talking about.

There are better ways to honor the fallen than confusing the hell out of out-of-town motorists.

Is it true that the section of Hwy 111 between Rancho Mirage and Indio has no name and is known only as "Hwy 111?" It's kind of weird that it does not have a name since this stretch of roadway does operate as a city street and would be a good candidate for decomissioning from Caltrans control.

[cahwyguy]

As folks may know, I track every naming resolution, and preserve much of the information from the naming resolution on my pages. You can see all the names I know about at https://www.cahighways.org/names.html

I, too, bemoan the overuse of naming resolutions. I often get the question from a loved one who wants to name a segment of highway after someone, and this is my stock response:

20. How do I get a section of highway named after somone?

Naming of bridges or short segments of highways is typically done by an assembly concurrent resolution or a senate concurrent resolution, so you should contact your state assemblycritter or senator's office. I'm personally not a big fan of these, for a number of reasons. First, there are so many of these nowadays that they lose their meaning -- imagine how many little segments and bridges would have different names if we remembered *every* fallen law enforcement officer, first responder, and soldier.* Drivers just see the names; they don't know the stories behind the names. In many ways, it devalues their stories to only remember the names. I also see lots of resolutions where they list all the family left behind, and provide the hero's birthday (full), birthplace, and family member's names. To me (I work in computer security professionally), that's inviting identity theft risks for the family -- not something the hero would want.

(*: I believe my site is the only one that actually captures the information from those resolutions and preserves the stories -- after editing out potential identity theft fodder. Most people don't know to look here.)

The best way to remember your loved one's legacy is to pass it on through your life's example. Demonstrate their bravery, honor, and ethics by how you live, and pass that on to their family and friends. To say, "I'm behaving this way because (insert name) was my role model is a better legacy than any bridge or highway".

Still, I understand the desire to memorialize -- again, the best place to start is your assemblyman/assemblywoman or your state senator. You can find their office at http://www.legislature.ca.gov/legislators_and_districts/legislators/your_legislator.html

====

That said, I have less of a problem with the naming of a segment after Valens or Obama, but they should make them real names, not the fakes names we have these days.

[mrsman]

As folks may know, I track every naming resolution, and preserve much of the information from the naming resolution on my pages. You can see all the names I know about at https://www.cahighways.org/names.html

I, too, bemoan the overuse of naming resolutions. I often get the question from a loved one who wants to name a segment of highway after someone, and this is my stock response:

20. How do I get a section of highway named after somone?

Naming of bridges or short segments of highways is typically done by an assembly concurrent resolution or a senate concurrent resolution, so you should contact your state assemblycritter or senator's office. I'm personally not a big fan of these, for a number of reasons. First, there are so many of these nowadays that they lose their meaning -- imagine how many little segments and bridges would have different names if we remembered *every* fallen law enforcement officer, first responder, and soldier.* Drivers just see the names; they don't know the stories behind the names. In many ways, it devalues their stories to only remember the names. I also see lots of resolutions where they list all the family left behind, and provide the hero's birthday (full), birthplace, and family member's names. To me (I work in computer security professionally), that's inviting identity theft risks for the family -- not something the hero would want.

(*: I believe my site is the only one that actually captures the information from those resolutions and preserves the stories -- after editing out potential identity theft fodder. Most people don't know to look here.)

The best way to remember your loved one's legacy is to pass it on through your life's example. Demonstrate their bravery, honor, and ethics by how you live, and pass that on to their family and friends. To say, "I'm behaving this way because (insert name) was my role model is a better legacy than any bridge or highway".

Still, I understand the desire to memorialize -- again, the best place to start is your assemblyman/assemblywoman or your state senator. You can find their office at http://www.legislature.ca.gov/legislators_and_districts/legislators/your_legislator.html

====

That said, I have less of a problem with the naming of a segment after Valens or Obama, but they should make them real names, not the fakes names we have these days.

I agree with this sentiment.  It is a shame that Caltrans (esp. Dist. 7) is bending over backwards to remove traces of "Golden State Freeway" and "Hollywood Freeway" so that we should all call the freeways "the 5" and "the 101", yet they put in place these memorial plaques that serve no navigational purpose.  It is much more meaningful to denote a freeway segment or interchange by where it is or where it goes rather than after some heroic soldier/police officer who probably did wonderful things ,but is totally unfamous.

NYC has gone this route too in some circumstances.  The triborough bridge connecting Manhattan, Queens, and Bronx is now named after former senator RFK Bridge.  The Queensboro Bridge is now named after former mayor Ed Koch.  The Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel is now named after former governor Hugh Carey.  These politicians are relatively famous in NYC but the new names are less helpful than the old names which let you know exactly where they were and how they connected different parts of the city.

There is some legitimacy for naming a freeway after Reagan or Obama, if as you say, they do a full naming.  If the entire 134 were the Obama Fwy in honor of hid connection with Occidental College (and IMO only the 101 can be the true Venutra Fwy) that's OK.  And the 118 were named after Reagan, that's OK because it's the easiest way to reach his presidential library from LA.

[michravera]

I cannot wait until the day that for every 100 yards I drive, I will be on a differently-named freeway than the last 100 yards upon which I traveled.

Not only is it convenient for travelers to know that so many dead people did things deserving of a mention, but the dead really appreciate it as well.

A section of CA SR 111 in the city of Palm Springs will be named for 2 recently killed city police officers: Jose Vega and Leslie Zerebny, from Windy Point to Tramway Road (about 3 miles). Local community leaders felt this is to pay tribute, honor and respect to the very people who protect and serve their city.

So, I should make a left on State Route 111/North Palm Canyon Drive/Jose Vega-Leslie Zerebny Memorial Highway if I'm coming out of Mountain Gate and want to go into downtown Palm Springs?

I was going to try to call for help for a stranded motorist on that stretch of highway, but when the CHP dispatcher asked for the location, and I responded, "Vega-Zerebny Memorial Highway," the dispatcher had no idea what I was talking about.

There are better ways to honor the fallen than confusing the hell out of out-of-town motorists.

Is it true that the section of Hwy 111 between Rancho Mirage and Indio has no name and is known only as "Hwy 111?" It's kind of weird that it does not have a name since this stretch of roadway does operate as a city street and would be a good candidate for decomissioning from Caltrans control.

Is there no "Bono Drive" in Plam Springs?

[qguy]

I have a similar reaction to memorial naming. Every time something with a local name is changed, a piece of local flavor is washed away. To me, one of the things that makes various and sundry places interesting–whether I live there or are traveling through–is the web of local settings, practices, and names. Whenever something with a name has it changed to the name of some memorialized person, part of what makes it interesting is erased. Instead of it being connected to the local fabric, it is uprooted and loses its connection to local context and meaning. And whatever else, it becomes less interesting.

Eventually, every prominent feature has its name changed to an interchangeable name of some political-military-first-responder-figure. And worse, rarely are the locals even consulted.