There are still relatively new street signs marking Barack Obama Boulevard from Interstate 280 all the way north just past SAP Center in downtown San Jose. But if you’re traveling on Interstate 280, you’d have no idea that the city renamed parts of Bird Avenue, Montgomery Street and Autumn Street after the nation’s first Black president.
That may soon change thanks to efforts launched by the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors.
The volunteer-run committee that spearheaded the campaign to honor President Obama with a street in San Jose raised $20,000 to pay for the new street signs in San Jose. But Caltrans’ policy is to not pay for new freeway signs unless a change impedes the flow of traffic, which this doesn’t. That means the $420,000 bill to replace nine signs on both directions of the freeway needs to be raised elsewhere. (Caltrans is absorbing the administrative costs for the sign replacement, though, a contribution valued at $75,000 to $100,000.)
“This is a significant opportunity for us as a county to support the recognition, service and legacy of President Barack Obama,” said Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez, who brought the issue to the board. The board voted to look for funding sources, including the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the city of San Jose, specifying that any money wouldn’t come from the county’s general fund or its roads fund.
Alex Shoor, who started the ball rolling on the effort in 2017, told the supervisors Tuesday that the signs indicating the Bird Avenue exit are only half correct, since it leaves out Barack Obama Boulevard. “There’s no signage anywhere on our highways recognizing that new street,” he said. “So we’re thankful the county is helping step up to ensure everyone driving through our valley can understand where they’re going as they navigate from the highway into the heart of San Jose.”
Milan Balinton, executive director of the African American Community Service Agency in San Jose, also spoke in favor of the county’s plan, saying the new freeway signs would help serve as a reminder of President Obama’s legacy. “Signs matter,” he said. “Symbols matter.”
MUSICAL HONORS: Eight musicians from the Peninsula and South Bay are among the 109 members of Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America this year. They’ll train with world-class musicians this summer during a two-week residency at Purchase College in New York before performing at Carnegie Hall in New York and embarking on a tour of Europe that will include stops in Amsterdam, Berlin and Lucerne.
The young musicians from the Bay Area are cellist Elliot Kim of Los Altos, viola player Emily Hwang of Palo Alto; violinists Jenna Seohyeong Kang of Palo Alto, Clair Koo of Palo Alto, Shannon Ma of Saratoga, Suzuka Wada of San Mateo, Milan Rohatgi of Stanford; and percussionist Jacqueline Guo of San Jose.
MEMORIES OF CESAR CHAVEZ: La Raza Historical Society of Santa Clara Valley has put together a great lineup for “Recordando César,” a virtual panel discussion taking place March 30 on Cesar Chavez Day. The talk will feature Blanca Alvarado, Fernando Zazueta, Maritza Maldonado Rose and Francisco Espinosa sharing their memories of the influential labor leader.
The 6 p.m. Zoom webinar is free, but registration is required at www.larazahs.org.
Source: www.mercurynews.com