LANSING, Mich. — The city of Lansing is renaming City Market Drive to River Front Drive in the coming months, but another Lansing street could be named after the 44th president of the United States soon.
Lansing has a controversial history of renaming roads after famous civil rights activists like Malcolm x and Cesar Chavez.
Now, a public service board member is asking about the process to rename a local street after former President Barack Obama.
"It was just a question by a board member what the process is. There has not been a formal submission on that or any road that has been identified to be named," Andrew Kilpatrick, Lansing's Public Service director said,
A Lansing public service board member asked in January what the process would be to rename a local street after former president Barack Obama. But renaming a street in Lansing, no matter who it is after isn't easy.
"The Public Service Board, they are an advisory board," said Kilpatrick. "They will make a recommendation, which will then get sent to the mayor, then forwarded to City Council. Once it's at City Council, it will then be referred to the appropriate committee and they will definitely have a public hearing for that, and at that time citizens can submit comments for or against that."
In the past, Lansing has renamed streets after Malcolm x and Cesar Chavez.
One Lansing resident says she wouldn't mind the new change.
"Those people left some sort of significance to the legacy of America and so why not name a street," said Madison Mazer, Lansing resident. "It's just a street, I mean I don't support all of his policies. I didn't vote for him myself, but the United States elected him and I think it's fantastic to honor him and the legacy that he left."
Fox 47 reached out to the Public Service Board who confirmed in a statement, "Some citizens are interested in exploring the possibility of naming a street after President Obama."
The statement continues on to state that the board is in a preliminary discussion phase and they want to honor the former president.
"It's a change especially if it impacts a large number of businesses or residential properties. I just think there's some hesitation in that change," Kilpatrick said.
Renaming a street costs the city about $100 per intersection street sign.
For the businesses that have to change their addresses, that could cost anywhere between hundreds or thousands of dollars depending on the property.
The public service board is going to take action at their February meeting, which means we could see this issue on the city council's agenda in early March.
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