Joe Biden Expressway in Scranton

[1995hoo]

I generally disagree with naming things after living people for the reason US 89 notes–you never know what unexpected thing might happen to sully that person's name. The most obvious example that comes to mind in recent memory is in Cincinnati, where in 1985 after Pete Rose broke Ty Cobb's all-time hits record, the city renamed the street running past Riverfront Stadium as "Pete Rose Way." It still has that name, even though now it runs past the football stadium instead of the baseball stadium, but to a lot of people the name "Pete Rose" is surely tarnished due to his banishment from baseball. (Yes, I know he remains a hero in Cincinnati because of his on-field exploits, and I don't have a problem with that, but surely he's a good example of why naming a street for a living person can go wrong when subsequent events give the person a bad name.)

Of course, as a general matter, that sort of thing seems less likely to happen with a US president who is pushing 80 years old like Biden is, though surely it's not impossible. My point is more along the lines of it probably being better, as a policy matter, for states or cities to draw a bright line than it is to make it up as they go along, because making it up as they go lends itself to all sorts of arbitrariness.

[Flint1979]

The road probably dead ends a half mile past the sign.

[Roadgeekteen]

Regardless of your political beliefs, he was a longtime senator, VP, and the President who is the most famous person from Scranton. I'm no fan of Bush but I think it's appropriate to have roads named after him (them) in Texas.

The Bushes were from Connecticut.

But their political legacies were made in Texas.

The road probably dead ends a half mile past the sign.

At least it wouldn't go right off a cliff like a road named after another president in recent memory.

[hbelkins]

My feelings are that renaming things for a politician should wait until after they're out of office, unless they built it on their own property.

I agree. Naming things after living people is probably okay in itself, especially if the person is from the area in question (Jimmy Carter Blvd near Atlanta, Pres George Bush Turnpike in Dallas come to mind as other examples) but for politicians who are still in office... what if Biden does something you don't like (or did in the past and it becomes public later)? Who knows what shocking scandals or whatever might show up in the next few years.

Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee would like to have a word with you.

And then there's also the question of what happens when he isn't president anymore. Is it still the President Biden Expressway? That would be kind of like having the President Eisenhower Interstate System. It just seems really weird.

There's already a President George Bush Turnpike.

In addition to that, there is an Oklahoma Senate Bill (624) that passed in May that gives names to several highways in the state, effective in about a month. In the bill, State Highway 287 in the panhandle between Boise City and Texas will be named President Donald J. Trump Highway.

Trump has no ties to Oklahoma...

There's a Ronald Reagan Highway in Cincinnati and a President Barack Obama (some street name) in one of the cities in Indiana across the river from Louisville. And stuff named for MLK and JFK all over the country in places where they had no ties (you have facilities named for both of them in Louisville).

And to think there's loads of us who wanted a number for the Central Scranton Expressway, but instead it got another name.

I didn't recall seeing any businesses along the route, unless it also includes some non-expressway portion.

My experience driving that road (started in downtown and made my way out to I-81) is that if you blink, you miss it.

Is it a state road or does the city maintain it? If it's a state route, it probably has a hidden four-digit number. Jeff Kitsko would tell you that I-81 is just SR 0081 with a fancy route marker. 

2.) Several have commented that regardless of the politician being feted -- meaning not specific to Biden -- they don't approve of things being named after people who are still alive. I disagree. I think it should be done while people are still around to appreciate the honor.

As someone who is one of those people who doesn't approve of naming things after living people, my way of thinking is that it promotes a swelled head in the person in question, which isn't good. At least wait until they're retired and done with whatever they're doing, and then it can be an award to enjoy in old age.

1.) Biden's already in his old age.

2.) I know very few politicians at that high of a level who don't already have swelled heads and oversized egos. I've even seen it out of a lot of mayors and county judges-executive and state legislators.

[TheDon102]

Hopefully it'll connect to the Corn Pop Expressway.

[jp the roadgeek]

Regardless of your political beliefs, he was a longtime senator, VP, and the President who is the most famous person from Scranton. I'm no fan of Bush but I think it's appropriate to have roads named after him (them) in Texas.

The Bushes were from Connecticut.

But their political legacies were made in Texas.

The road probably dead ends a half mile past the sign.

At least it wouldn't go right off a cliff like a road named after another president in recent memory.

Which Chicagoland expressway would that be?

[hotdogPi]

Regardless of your political beliefs, he was a longtime senator, VP, and the President who is the most famous person from Scranton. I'm no fan of Bush but I think it's appropriate to have roads named after him (them) in Texas.

The Bushes were from Connecticut.

But their political legacies were made in Texas.

The road probably dead ends a half mile past the sign.

At least it wouldn't go right off a cliff like a road named after another president in recent memory.

Which Chicagoland expressway would that be?

Roads can't go off cliffs in Chicagoland, because Illinois is flat.

[SkyPesos]

Regardless of your political beliefs, he was a longtime senator, VP, and the President who is the most famous person from Scranton. I'm no fan of Bush but I think it's appropriate to have roads named after him (them) in Texas.

The Bushes were from Connecticut.

But their political legacies were made in Texas.

The road probably dead ends a half mile past the sign.

At least it wouldn't go right off a cliff like a road named after another president in recent memory.

Which Chicagoland expressway would that be?

Roads can't go off cliffs in Chicagoland, because Illinois is flat.

Exception: The Hypotenuse

[Roadgeekteen]

Regardless of your political beliefs, he was a longtime senator, VP, and the President who is the most famous person from Scranton. I'm no fan of Bush but I think it's appropriate to have roads named after him (them) in Texas.

The Bushes were from Connecticut.

But their political legacies were made in Texas.

The road probably dead ends a half mile past the sign.

At least it wouldn't go right off a cliff like a road named after another president in recent memory.

Which Chicagoland expressway would that be?

Nah it would be in Palm Beach, Florida.

[hotdogPi]

At least it wouldn't go right off a cliff like a road named after another president in recent memory.

Which Chicagoland expressway would that be?

Nah it would be in Palm Beach, Florida.

Cliffs in Palm Beach? That's even less likely than cliffs in Chicagoland.

[SteveG1988]

The road is named after a guy who honestly should have had it even as VP. Not often that a town has a hometown hero who is proud of his roots. Who cares really? Does it matter? it seems to have been done in a budget-concious way unlike the tappan-zee bridge signs with the M added.

[Roadgeekteen]

At least it wouldn't go right off a cliff like a road named after another president in recent memory.

Which Chicagoland expressway would that be?

Nah it would be in Palm Beach, Florida.

Cliffs in Palm Beach? That's even less likely than cliffs in Chicagoland.

https://www.google.com/maps/@26.6768876,-80.0360957,3a,75.5y,297.31h,102.43t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sxfNu-FG-KJJL3XBRRQtbOg!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DxfNu-FG-KJJL3XBRRQtbOg%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D280.43198%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192

Interstate can go right off the roof

[Flint1979]

Regardless of your political beliefs, he was a longtime senator, VP, and the President who is the most famous person from Scranton. I'm no fan of Bush but I think it's appropriate to have roads named after him (them) in Texas.

The Bushes were from Connecticut.

But their political legacies were made in Texas.

The road probably dead ends a half mile past the sign.

At least it wouldn't go right off a cliff like a road named after another president in recent memory.

Which Chicagoland expressway would that be?

Nah it would be in Palm Beach, Florida.

JP had it right the first time.

[jeffandnicole]

He was a senator for 36 years. That's enough to get something named after you even if he hadn't become president.

That would make more sense if the highway was in the state where he was a senator.

Well, he was born in Scranton. That probably has something to do with it.

Regardless of your political beliefs, he was a longtime senator, VP, and the President who is the most famous person from Scranton. I'm no fan of Bush but I think it's appropriate to have roads named after him (them) in Texas.

The Bushes were from Connecticut.

But their political legacies were made in Texas.

Contradictory, don't you think?

[Alps]

My feelings are that renaming things for a politician should wait until after they're out of office, unless they built it on their own property.

I agree. Naming things after living people is probably okay in itself, especially if the person is from the area in question (Jimmy Carter Blvd near Atlanta, Pres George Bush Turnpike in Dallas come to mind as other examples) but for politicians who are still in office... what if Biden does something you don't like (or did in the past and it becomes public later)? Who knows what shocking scandals or whatever might show up in the next few years.

Honestly I wouldn't even mind if the new name was "Joe Biden Expressway". But by naming it "President Biden Expressway" you're emphasizing his current role... I don't know. It just doesn't sit right with me.

And this is why I would wait until after they pass, so that there's no scandal that they get into even after holding office (or being a sports star or whatever else).

[jp the roadgeek]

My feelings are that renaming things for a politician should wait until after they're out of office, unless they built it on their own property.

I agree. Naming things after living people is probably okay in itself, especially if the person is from the area in question (Jimmy Carter Blvd near Atlanta, Pres George Bush Turnpike in Dallas come to mind as other examples) but for politicians who are still in office... what if Biden does something you don't like (or did in the past and it becomes public later)? Who knows what shocking scandals or whatever might show up in the next few years.

Honestly I wouldn't even mind if the new name was "Joe Biden Expressway". But by naming it "President Biden Expressway" you're emphasizing his current role... I don't know. It just doesn't sit right with me.

And this is why I would wait until after they pass, so that there's no scandal that they get into even after holding office (or being a sports star or whatever else).

And even after they pass, sometimes they're threatened to be stripped, even when it's a disgraced family member (but then again, most people call what I'm referring to by its old name anyway).

[Alps]

My feelings are that renaming things for a politician should wait until after they're out of office, unless they built it on their own property.

I agree. Naming things after living people is probably okay in itself, especially if the person is from the area in question (Jimmy Carter Blvd near Atlanta, Pres George Bush Turnpike in Dallas come to mind as other examples) but for politicians who are still in office... what if Biden does something you don't like (or did in the past and it becomes public later)? Who knows what shocking scandals or whatever might show up in the next few years.

Honestly I wouldn't even mind if the new name was "Joe Biden Expressway". But by naming it "President Biden Expressway" you're emphasizing his current role... I don't know. It just doesn't sit right with me.

And this is why I would wait until after they pass, so that there's no scandal that they get into even after holding office (or being a sports star or whatever else).

And even after they pass, sometimes they're threatened to be stripped, even when it's a disgraced family member (but then again, most people call what I'm referring to by its old name anyway).

That's very isolated - typically you wouldn't associate that person with their other family, but in this case it is that exact other family member who was involved in the naming. That said, yes, sometimes scandals arise after things are named (Thomas Jefferson...) and, well, you address it when it happens in that case.

[SteveG1988]

Hindsight is 2020. You could name a road after a person who was a saint, but 50,100,150 years later....the world advanced and what they were known for was good, but their life...was horrible. Just name roads after locals who made it big, or did a lot for the community. Due dilligence when naming, and in the future it's their problem to sort it out.

[Roadgeekteen]

That's why I'm against rampant canceling of people and renaming roads. Washington owned slaves, do we have to rename our capital?

[abefroman329]

Regardless of your political beliefs, he was a longtime senator, VP, and the President who is the most famous person from Scranton. I'm no fan of Bush but I think it's appropriate to have roads named after him (them) in Texas.

The Bushes were from Connecticut.

But their political legacies were made in Texas.

The road probably dead ends a half mile past the sign.

At least it wouldn't go right off a cliff like a road named after another president in recent memory.

Which Chicagoland expressway would that be?

He already has his name on a gaudy, mostly-empty skyscraper downtown.  It's right on the Chicago River.  You can't miss it [the building or the name].

[Rothman]

That's why I'm against rampant canceling of people and renaming roads. Washington owned slaves, do we have to rename our capital?

Yes.  To Rothmanland.

[Rothman]

Regardless of your political beliefs, he was a longtime senator, VP, and the President who is the most famous person from Scranton. I'm no fan of Bush but I think it's appropriate to have roads named after him (them) in Texas.

The Bushes were from Connecticut.

But their political legacies were made in Texas.

The road probably dead ends a half mile past the sign.

At least it wouldn't go right off a cliff like a road named after another president in recent memory.

Which Chicagoland expressway would that be?

He already has his name on a gaudy, mostly-empty skyscraper downtown.  It's right on the Chicago River.  You can't miss it [the building or the name].

Oh.  We're talking about Obama.

[Flint1979]

Interstate 55 between the Tri-State and Pontiac.

[abefroman329]

Regardless of your political beliefs, he was a longtime senator, VP, and the President who is the most famous person from Scranton. I'm no fan of Bush but I think it's appropriate to have roads named after him (them) in Texas.

The Bushes were from Connecticut.

But their political legacies were made in Texas.

The road probably dead ends a half mile past the sign.

At least it wouldn't go right off a cliff like a road named after another president in recent memory.

Which Chicagoland expressway would that be?

He already has his name on a gaudy, mostly-empty skyscraper downtown.  It's right on the Chicago River.  You can't miss it [the building or the name].

Oh.  We're talking about Obama.

No, Obama wasn't from Connecticut.

[Rothman]

Regardless of your political beliefs, he was a longtime senator, VP, and the President who is the most famous person from Scranton. I'm no fan of Bush but I think it's appropriate to have roads named after him (them) in Texas.

The Bushes were from Connecticut.

But their political legacies were made in Texas.

The road probably dead ends a half mile past the sign.

At least it wouldn't go right off a cliff like a road named after another president in recent memory.

Which Chicagoland expressway would that be?

He already has his name on a gaudy, mostly-empty skyscraper downtown.  It's right on the Chicago River.  You can't miss it [the building or the name].

Oh.  We're talking about Obama.

No, Obama wasn't from Connecticut.

Well, I know a building on the Chicago River  with a former president from Queens on it.