Another N. Texas Roadway Gets A Name

This article was brought to my attention simply because every road we have here in North Texas has a name as well as a number designation. I've included the article even though I feel that it is poorly written. See below the article for my explanation.

By ELVIRA SAKMARI

As if having people refer to North Texas highways by numbers, names or a combination of both wasn't confusing enough, there's now another name to try to remember.

The North Texas Tollway Authority announced Tuesday that the 121 Tollway will now be known as the Sam Rayburn Tollway.

Named for the late congressman from North Texas, the Sam Rayburn/121 Tollway stretches 26 miles from business Highway 121 near the Dallas-Denton County line to U.S. 75 in Collin County and passes through Allen, Carrollton, Coppell, Fairview, Frisco, Lewisville, McKinney, Plano and The Colony.

Rayburn represented Texas' 4th Congressional District, serving 16 North Texas counties, and was the longest-serving speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1940 and 1961.

As further evidence of why Rayburn was picked, the NTTA points out Rayburn created the Interstate Highway System.

"So, it is only fitting that his name becomes associated with a critical NTTA project which enhances mobility throughout North Texas. His impact was felt throughout the country, but North Texas was always home,” said NTTA chairman Paul N. Wageman.

The NTTA board considered three short-listed names for the road: Sam Rayburn Tollway, Interurban Tollway and 121 Tollway. The name change passed on a 6-3 vote.

According to the Dallas Morning News, three board members, two from Denton County and one from Collin County were against the name change and wanted it to remain known as the 121 Tollway.

A ceremony marking the naming of the tollway will be held later this spring. Motorists can expect to see signs going up bearing the new name over the next several weeks.

North Texas really didn't need another named road. Check out the list of roadways known by number and name:

I-30/Tom Landry Freeway (from west of downtown Dallas to downtown Fort Worth)
I-20/Ronald Reagan Freeway (west of I-635 into Fort Worth)
1-35E (south of downtown Dallas) & I-30 (east of downtown Dallas)/R.L. Thornton Freeway
1-35E (north of downtown Dallas)/Stemmons Freeway
U.S. 75/Central Expressway
S.H. 161/President George Bush Turnpike
S.H. 183/Airport Freeway
S.H. 287 (from West Loop 820 to downtown Fort Worth)/Martin Luther King, Jr. Freeway
S.H. 360 (through Arlington) Angus G. Wynne, Jr. Freeway
I-45 (downtown Dallas to I-20)/S.M. Wright Freeway
I-45 (south of I-20)/Julius Schwepps Freeway
U.S. 175/C.F. Hawn Freeway
I-635/LBJ Freeway
Spur 366/Woodall Rodgers Freeway
S.H. 114/John Carpenter Freeway
E. Loop 12/Walton Walker Freeway
U.S. 67 (North of I-20)/Marvin D. Love Freeway
U.S. 67 (South of I-20)/S.G. Alexander Freeway
U.S. 67 (In Ellis County)/J. Elmer Weaver Freeway
I-35W (north of Fort Worth)/North Freeway
I-35W (south of Fort Worth)/South Freeway
I-30 (east of Fort Worth)/East Freeway
I-30 (west of Fort Worth)/West Freeway
S.H. 199/Jacksboro Highway
S.H. 114 (from Southlake to 377)/Northwest Parkway

Way to go NTTA; confuse some more people who move to North Texas.

My response to this article:

Although I agree with the article overall, I find no evidence that Sam Rayburn "created the Interstate Highway System".

Other than he "strongly supporting the construction of Route 66" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Rayburn), he had no input into the Eisenhower Interstate Highway System that I am aware of.

As Speaker of the House, he gave permission for tax legislation to be drafted to raise gasoline tax to pay for the interstate system. He also fought against the Teamsters Union to get this bill passed.

While I agree that Sam Rayburn is worthy of an honor such as this, I disagree that he "created the Interstate Highway System".

And That's What I Think!