Published: November 23, 2008 09:23 pm      

A highway fit for a ‘King’

More than 13 years ago, the Greenville City Council agreed to name the stretch of Interstate 30 which passes through Greenville in memory of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

But as of today, the only reminder that the highway is named for King is a single, historical-marker type sign which sits by itself at the western city limits.

The Council intends to rectify the situation Tuesday, by voting to reaffirm the original resolution in hopes of obtaining official state highway signs. The Council is scheduled to take the vote during the regular session, starting at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Municipal Building, 2821 Washington Street. A work session is also set for 5 p.m. Tuesday.

In July 1995, the Council originally passed a resolution to name Interstate 30 in Greenville in King’s honor. The distinction had been sought by then-Councilmember Hattie Tennison, who also currently sits on the Council.

The move was in response from a request by a group of local residents, who in November 1993 had sought to have Lee Street named for King, only to meet with protests from other Greenville residents who wanted the downtown thoroughfare to stay named for the Confederate General Robert E. Lee.

The marker was placed along the eastbound Interstate 30 service road following the passage of the Council resolution, which came one day after the Hunt County Commissioners Court voted to designate the portion of U.S. Highway 69 which passes through the county north of Greenville in honor of Audie Murphy.

But while there is a sign just outside the city limits noting the change of U.S. Highway 69 to the “Audie Murphy Memorial Highway”, there is no such sign along Interstate 30 for King.

The Texas Department of Transportation requires state legislation sponsored by a lawmaker in order to officially recognize a highway as a memorial highway. City of Greenville Director of Public Works Massoud Ebrahim recently made requests to both State Sen. Bob Deuell of Greenville and State Rep. Dan Flynn of Van to consider sponsoring the legislation in the next session of the Texas Legislature, which begins in February. Deuell responded that the Council would need to pass a more recent resolution in support of the measure.