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Local News

New road to honor Rosa Parks

By DANETTA BARKER Staff Writer

Monday, February 20, 2006 9:39 PM EST Print this story | Email this story
The city of Maysville will name a new roadway in honor of one of America's most recognizable civil rights leaders, Rosa Parks.

Isaac Jones was instrumental in getting the new highway near Meadowview Regional Medical Center named for Parks. Jones approached city commissioners at the February meeting to suggest naming a street after Parks. He wanted the old hill road, which is now Lexington Pike, named for Parks.

City Manger Romie Griffey and Assistant City Manager Ray Young said the new road which will be built to provide a safer access to the hospital while providing a road for future development would be a better choice for Rosa Park Drive.

Young said having a new road named is easier for residents than changing the name of an established road. Jones agreed with the new plan and was happy that Parks will have her own road.

"I think it is beautiful," Jones said of the choice. "I like it because it is her road, not a bunch of other roads with her name on it."

Jones said he wanted to honor Parks for her role in the civil rights movement during the 1950s and 1960s. Parks, an African-American, refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Ala. bus to a white man. The incident occurred Dec. 1, 1955. Parks was arrested for her actions and stood trial. In November, 1956, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled segregation on transportation unconstitutional. The ruling set the tone for the next decade as African-Americans fought segregation and discriminatory laws.

"I wanted to do this because she was a great inspiration to Americans," Jones said. "She started one of the strongest movements in our country."

While Jones credits Parks with beginning a revolution, he said there's still work to be done when it comes to racial issues.

"It is time for all races to pull together and unite," Jones said.

City Engineer Sam Baker said the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will be ready to let contracts for construction of the road this spring. Construction should start in June or July and run about six months, Baker said.

The project will cost approximately $1.5 million with the state kicking in two-thirds of that amount.

"They had gotten some safety money that they wanted to use on this project," Baker said. "The main goal of the new road is to make the entrance to the hospital safer."

The road will join with Industrial Park Drive to make a four-way intersection where a new traffic light will be installed.

Contact Danetta Barker at Danetta.Barker@lee.net or call 564-9091, ext. 272.

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