Name change considered for Dodge Expressway - Omaha World-Herald
Someday drivers might talk about taking the Exon home, or businesses might say they’re located just off the Exon.
A state board will consider naming the West Dodge Expressway as the Exon Expressway in honor of the late J.J. Exon, the former Nebraska governor and U.S. senator.
The Nebraska Highway Commission is scheduled to vote on the proposal Friday. Exon was nominated for the memorial designation by his granddaughter, Heather Exon Eurek of Omaha.
AP Photo/Nati Harnik
If Tom Osborne already has an expressway named after him, then I think it is more than appropriate to name an expressway after Jim Exon. He was a selfless public servant whose career spanned over 25 years. His record speaks for itself.
Personally, I would love to see the political science department at the University of Nebraska - Omaha named after Exon. I think that would be a more appropriate honor for such a great man. Exon was a student at UNO back when it was Omaha University.
Update: The Omaha World-Herald has an insta-poll on their website. Everyone go vote! www.omaha.com (scroll to the bottom).
Update: It’s still the West Dodge Expressway - Omaha World-Herald
The Nebraska Highway Commission voted 7-0 today against naming the expressway for Exon, who was also a Nebraska governor.
Commission members said Exon deserves the honor but cited a provision in Department of Roads policy that says individuals must be dead for at least five years before a road can be named for them. Exon died in June 2005.
That’s interesting. There’s an expressway in Nebraska named after a football coach that’s still alive, but we can’t name an expressway after someone that spent much of his life in public service because he hasn’t been dead long enough? I really hope I’m missing something because this doesn’t seem right.
Thank you, Chief. Jim Exon deserves an honor and the rule should be changed if it is only going to be applied to support bad decisions (maybe the Commission members thought the Coach was dead, after all, he was in Washington.)
Buildings and other facilities named after Republican Senators Curtis and Hruska were named while they were still alive. The Federal Building and Lake were named for Democrat Ed Zorinsky after his death.
As Governor and U.S. Senator, Jim Exon served more years in statewide office than any Nebraska elected official except George Norris. In the Senate, he served as chairman of the Committee on Surface Transportation. Naming a road in his honor is most appropriate.
But there is an even more fitting honor we can all bestow on Senator Exon, one week from Tuesday. Jim Exon is also known as the father of the modern Nebraska Democratic Party. As a former staffer for Senator Exon, I know nothing would please him more than the election of common sense Democrats to county, state and Federal offices.
Monday, I’ll go to the Election Commission and participate in early voting, following the great example set by UNO Democrats. And I’ll cast my vote for change in honor of Senator Exon.
When my father was discharged from the Air Force he was in incredible pain. Part of a Minuteman II Transporter Erector had fallen on him and he was disabled in the line of duty.
My father would sometimes have to spend weeks at a time lying in bed because his lower back had been completely destroyed. However, the VA only gave him a 15% disability rating. This put our family in dire straits financially. My father couldn’t work and the U.S. government was balking at their agreement to take care of their own. My father wrote a letter to Jim Exon. Jim Exon wrote a letter back, telling my father he had Jim Exon’s word that the matter would be resolved and that the United States would uphold it’s commitment. Sure enough, within two months my father’s disability was upgraded to 70%, giving the family enough money to survive and help my father raise both me and my sister. Jim Exon was a great man. He cared about the people of Nebraska, not just as votes but as real people with real lives. Jim Exon was a man who showed us what real “Nebraska values” are. It is are responsibility to make sure his legacy is never forgotten.
Hello,
Great to read your comments and posts. Its too bad the timing wasn’t right on the Expressway. Perhaps my Grandfather deserves a bigger honor than a roadway. (No harm done trying I guess) The Political Science Devision at UNO being named after him would be a huge honor. I am hoping the state will come up with something fitting.
Thanks again for the great comments.
Heather Exon Eurek
Heather, thanks for stopping by our blog.
We all have just tremendous amounts of respect for your grandfather; hopefully he’ll get some of the memorials he deserves sometime soon.