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Legislators and veterans reach a compromise on naming Routes 8, 59
By Jim Carney
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Sunday, Jun 01, 2008
Dean Johnson knows that at 55 miles an hour, a driver has just a split second to notice the green sign.
It's on the northbound lane of state Route 8, just south of the Tallmadge Avenue exit in Akron, and reads: ''Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway.''
But in that fleeting moment, Johnson hopes his comrades who served and died in Korea will be remembered.
For the past year, the local chapter of the Korean War Veterans Association, a group of about 55 members, has been lobbying to preserve the status of Route 8 in Summit County as a memorial to Korean War veterans while showing no disrespect to those who have died in Iraq.
The highway name became an issue when a proposal was made to rename a section of Route 8 in Cuyahoga Falls for two city residents who were killed in Iraq: Marine Sgt. Justin Walsh, 24, who died in 2006, and Army Sgt. Bryan Large, 31, who died in 2005.
Initially, state Rep. John Widowfield, a Republican who resigned from his seat last week, put in an amendment to rename the highway on a bill in the Ohio General Assembly. The bill was approved by the House last June but never passed the Senate.
Then this spring, state Sen. Kevin Coughlin, R-Cuyahoga Falls, sponsored a bill that designated a stretch of state Route 59, which is also part of Route 8, for the memorial to Walsh and Large. That bill was passed in the Senate, but after hearing the concerns of the Korean War veteran, Coughlin came up with a compromise.
Amendment in House
He said he will introduce an amendment to the bill, which is now in the House, that would officially name Route 8 in Summit County as the Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway and name a different section of Route 59 — from the Kent Road exit off Route 8 to the border of Silver Lake village — for Large and Walsh.
''This solution appropriately honors those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice to defend the cause of freedom at home and in the wider world,'' Coughlin said. Also, it permanently names Route 8 ''for our fallen Korean War veterans and designates a place of honor in our community for two recently fallen heroes in Iraq.''
Larry Large, of Stow, father of the fallen soldier, said this solution is ''not as good'' as the original Route 8 plan, ''but we don't have a lot of choices.''
Even so, he supports the compromise.
''I just want it to be something people can see,'' he said. ''I know my son would appreciate it.''
Johnson, a 77-year-old Boston Township resident and East Ohio Gas retiree, said in 2000 and 2001 his organization was involved in seeking city and village approval to name Route 8 for Korean War veterans.
The signs went up in Summit County, though the Ohio General Assembly never approved such a measure.
Johnson said the Korean War veterans were concerned about a precedent being set by naming different sections of Route 8 for those who died in Iraq.
''The next soldier, fireman, policeman, anybody that they want to honor — if they don't honor them, the family will yell discrimination and they will want another section,'' he said.
Johnson said the Korean War veterans mean no disrespect to those who died in Iraq. He and several of his fellow veterans attended calling hours for both Large and Walsh.
He said his group ''stood together and saluted the caskets and paid our respect to the families. We are not trying to dishonor them. We are supportive of them.''
Johnson said he approves of Coughlin's compromise.
''That is all we were asking for,'' he said.
Another highway?
He suggested that it might be wise for lawmakers to look for a highway to name for all of those who served and died in Iraq.
''So many have been killed and there is the possibility that more could be killed,'' Johnson said.
With more than 30 soldiers, Marines, sailors and airmen with ties to the Akron region having been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan to date, the effort to name a highway for the Cuyahoga Falls men could be just one of many attempts to name highways after those who have died.
For example, a stretch of Interstate 76 in Portage County could someday be named for two sailors who died in Iraq.
State Sen. Tom Sawyer, D-Akron, has proposed naming the freeway for Hospitalman W.A. Lucas ''Luke'' Emch, 21, of Brimfield Township, and Hospitalman Matthew Conte, 22, of Streetsboro, both of whom died in 2007 in Iraq. ''It is a nice way to pay lasting respect to the kind of sacrifice that these young people have made,'' Sawyer said.
Robert Derga, of Lake Township, said that while no one has approached him about naming a highway for his son — Marine Cpl. Dustin Derga, 24, who was killed in Iraq three years ago — he would like to see it happen.
''To me, naming highways after specific fallen heroes in their hometown areas is much more preferable than a general designation such as 'Iraq War Memorial Highway,' '' he said. ''It is important that people know the names and faces of people who sacrificed everything for their freedoms.''
Put bills into law
Coughlin said it is important to put into law the highway bills for both the Korean War veterans and the Cuyahoga Falls men who died in Iraq.
No action on the legislation will be taken until at least the fall, when the General Assembly reconvenes after a summer recess, he said.
''One day, we are all going to die and somebody is going to want to name the highway again,'' Coughlin said. ''Let's put it into law so it is permanent for future generations.''
Jim Carney can be reached at 330-996-3576 or jcarney@thebeaconjournal.com.
Dean Johnson knows that at 55 miles an hour, a driver has just a split second to notice the green sign.
Get the full article here.
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