What’s In a Freeway Name? To Officials, It’s Disagreement

Everyone calls it the Century Freeway.

But that’s not its name.

The freeway, which is under construction, actually has two names. West of the San Diego Freeway, it is officially designated the El Segundo Freeway; east of the San Diego Freeway it is the Norwalk Freeway.

Now, in a tribute to Congressman Glenn M. Anderson (D-Long Beach), state senators have voted to rename the freeway in recognition of his work in funding numerous area transportation projects.

But the plan has officials in some cities angry, and others confused.

“The freeways are complicated enough,” said Bellflower Councilman Joseph E. Cvetko. “Who’s going to know where to find the Glenn Anderson Freeway?”

To folks in Norwalk, the 17.3-mile freeway will start there and end in El Segundo. They call it the Norwalk-El Segundo Freeway.

A Different Viewpoint

But El Segundo City Manager Art Jones sees it differently.

“Norwalk-El Segundo? Don’t you mean the El Segundo-Norwalk Freeway?” Jones said when asked to comment on the renaming.

The name change was proposed by state Sen. Robert G. Beverly (R-Manhattan Beach), who introduced the Senate resolution that passed 27 to 2 in June. It is expected to go before the Assembly later this month.

Anderson “has been at the forefront of funding freeways for more than 35 years as a local businessman, as mayor of Hawthorne and as lieutenant governor,” said Joshua Payne, spokesman for Beverly. “We have gotten overwhelming support on this.”

The resolution has a long list of advocates, including the Los Angeles and Orange County boards of supervisors, the Orange County Transportation District and the Southern California Assn. of Governments, Payne said. Caltrans Director Leo Trombatore also supports it.

And most cities in the freeway’s path, including Los Angeles, favor the name change.

Anderson feels honored.

“The thoughts and efforts of everyone are very kind,” Anderson said last week. “I do not know if they will be successful, but certainly the fact that people are considering such a gesture makes me deeply appreciative.”

‘This Really Irks Us’

Norwalk officials see it as a snub.

“This really irks us,” said Ken Montgomery, Norwalk director of public works. “There was no prewarning from Caltrans or legislators; no one asked us for our advice or consulted any of the corridor cities.”

In May, Norwalk Mayor Margaret (Peg) Nelson sent a protest letter to the 11 cities along the freeway’s corridor and to several legislators.

“We felt that since we are the terminus of the freeway, as is El Segundo, it should be identified as the Norwalk-El Segundo Freeway,” Nelson said. “It would be easier for a motorist to identify the cities and the freeway.”

If the resolution is ratified, Los Angeles County will have its only freeway named after a person, according to the California Department of Transportation.

Port Road Improvements

Anderson, who is chairman of the surface transportation subcommittee of the House Committee on Public Works and Transportation, was instrumental this year in obtaining $59 million in federal funds for port-related road improvements. In 1978, Anderson introduced a provision that added the Harbor Freeway to the interstate system.

And thanks to Anderson, most of the Long Beach Freeway also achieved interstate status in 1985, changing its number from 7 to 710 and making it eligible for federal funds.

“The councilmen all know Mr. Anderson and the work he has done for our freeways,” Lynwood City Manager Charles Gomez said.

Norwalk city officials said they appreciate Anderson’s accomplishments on behalf of transportation but maintain their opposition.

“Why Glenn Anderson? Why him?” said Councilman Marcial (Rod) Rodriguez. “A lot of people have been instrumental in building a lot of other freeways and they haven’t had freeways named after them.”

Sen. Green Voted Nay

One of the two votes against the resolution in the state Senate came from a former Norwalk city councilman, Sen. Cecil N. Green (D-Norwalk). He acknowledged Anderson as the “granddaddy of the freeways” but said his vote on the issue is a matter of civic pride. Sen. Edward R. Royce (R-Anaheim) cast the other “no” vote.

Montgomery cited another problem. “We are concerned that this will start a trend of naming freeways after politicians,” he said. “I hate to say it, but what if these politicians end up being bad politicians? Look what happened to Nixon.”

Indeed, there is no trace of Richard M. Nixon’s name on the 3 1/2-mile California 90 Freeway, which in 1971 was named after the then-President.

In 1976, two years after Nixon resigned because of the Watergate scandal, legislation was passed taking his name off the freeway, now called the Marina Freeway. It runs between Fox Hills in Culver City and Marina del Rey.

Compromise Proposed

Bellflower Councilman Cvetko said he has come up with a simple compromise to end the dispute. He proposes naming it the Century Freeway and planting two ficus trees on either end as a “living memorial” to Anderson. The freeway will run from Sepulveda Boulevard in El Segundo to the San Gabriel River Freeway in Norwalk.

Downey, on the other hand, has chosen to ignore the issue, said Mayor Diane Boggs.

“We didn’t want to stir up any controversy,” she said. “Personally, I think it should be called the Second Century Freeway--for as long as its taking to build it. We may have a name for it, but where’s the freeway?”