Obama Freeway coming to Northeast LA

Drivers traveling back and forth between Pasadena and Eagle Rock will soon be able to make use of the nation’s first freeway named for President Barack Obama.

On Tuesday, state legislators approved a bill forwarded by State Senator Anthony Portantino to rename a stretch of the 134 freeway between the 210 and 2 interchanges as the President Barack H. Obama Freeway.

According to a statement from Portantino, the idea to rename this particular portion of the freeway came from local activist John Gallogly, who suggested it shortly after a plaque was placed in front of the Pasadena home Obama lived in during his time as a student at Occidental College.

Given that the future president used the freeway to commute to and from campus, Gallogly suggests the stretch of road has a “direct connection” to Obama and his time in office.

Portantino said the new name would help drivers “forever appreciate and commemorate President Obama's tremendous legacy.”

All that’s left to do now is to switch out those road signs. According to the Los Angeles Times, advocates of the name change will raise “private funds” in order to pay for new signage reflecting the freeway’s new name.

This isn’t the first local thoroughfare to be named for Obama. In June, the LA City Council unanimously approved a plan to rename a stretch of Rodeo Road in Southwest LA after the former president. Called Obama Boulevard, the road will stretch from Jefferson Boulevard to Arlington Avenue.

• Before & After: How Los Angeles Got in the Habit of Putting "The" in Front of Every Freeway [Curbed LA]
• Plan to cap the 101 freeway in Downtown LA with a park moves forward [Curbed LA]
• Obamas aren’t buying in Rancho Mirage, close friends say [Curbed LA]