New Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Bypass signs posted in east Pueblo

Travelers of Bonforte Boulevard, Hudson Avenue, Norwood Avenue and Troy Avenue in Pueblo may notice that directional "HWY 50 By-Pass" signs have been changed to honor civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr.

The city of Pueblo completed the first phase of the project renaming a portion of U.S. Highway 50 Bypass to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Bypass in anticipation of the Juneteenth holiday on June 19. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Bypass connects Interstate 25 with Colorado Highway 96, Cesar Chavez Boulevard and the U.S. Highway 50 Bypass interchange.

For the first phase of the project, six directional signs were posted along Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Bypass where Hudson Avenue becomes Bonforte Boulevard, where Bonforte Boulevard becomes Hudson Avenue, on both sides of Norwood Avenue, and on both sides of Troy Avenue.

A subsequent phase will place supplemental signage on the west and east ends of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Bypass. Installation of supplemental signage is planned for late summer, Pueblo Public Works Director Andrew Hayes told the Chieftain.

Efforts to name a roadway in Pueblo after King have been in the works for about a decade, Roxana Mack, president of the NAACP Pueblo branch, told the Chieftain. Community members considered several other roadways, including Pueblo Boulevard, before the city approved renaming part of U.S. Highway 50 Bypass in January.

"We just wanted it to be in a prominent place where people would be able to see it," Mack told the Chieftain. "People coming in from Kansas, people coming in from out of state and everyone will be able to see it coming down from I-25."

A background paper compiled for Pueblo City Council in January estimated that around 10,000 motorists use what is now Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Bypass each day. It runs through the Belmont, East Side and Eastwood Heights neighborhoods while also being a popular way to get to Pueblo Memorial Airport.

The Pueblo NAACP was joined by several organizations including the Pueblo African-American Concern Organization, the Pueblo Ministerial Fellowship, and the Juneteenth Organization of Pueblo. Letters of support also were written by the Pueblo Human Relations Commission, the Latino Chamber of Commerce and the League of Women Voters.

Ron Wiley, an NAACP Executive Committee member, told the Chieftain that the renaming of U.S. Highway 50 Bypass to Martin Luther King Jr. Bypass is an accomplishment that honors the legacy of King, celebrates Pueblo's diversity, and provides an opportunity to educate youth.

"It's an opportunity for us to explain to the youth who Dr. Martin Luther King was and why he is held up so dearly by the whole country, as well as people of color," Wiley said. "All around, it benefits the community of Pueblo. Finally getting the initial signs in place, it's just a huge source of pride and accomplishment.

Chavez Huerta school: Chavez Huerta has a new executive director. Here's how he plans to lead the school

Pueblo Chieftain reporter James Bartolo can be reached at JBartolo@gannett.com. Support local news, subscribe to the Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Where to find signs for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Bypass in Pueblo