MAGAvenue: Lawmakers prep legislation to name several heartland highways after Trump

Several Missouri lawmakers are reportedly gearing up to introduce legislation in the new year to name several highways after President-elect Trump. The most extensive bill being considered would give Trump’s name to roadways within the Missouri state highway system that have not yet been designated otherwise by next August. State Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman is behind this bill, but it excludes highways in counties that include St. Louis, Columbia, and Kansas City.

Coleman had previously attempted to rename a portion of Interstate 55 in her district as the “Donald J. Trump Highway” in 2021, but the proposal did not pass in the Republican-majority legislature. Under both the failed and current proposals, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) would be responsible for installing and maintaining the signage, with funding coming from private donations.

Another lawmaker, State Sen. Nick Schroer, is also working on a bill to designate a section of MO Route D west of St. Louis as the “President Donald J. Trump Highway.” In a social media post announcing his bill, Schroer stated, “It’s time to Make Missouri Roads Great Again,” accompanied by an image of Trump doing his well-known “Y.M.C.A.” dance next to a “President Donald J. Trump Highway” sign.

Efforts to reach both Schroer and Coleman for further comment were unsuccessful. Additionally, Fox News Digital reached out to Missouri Senate President Pro-Tempore Caleb Rowden for a statement on the proposed legislation.

In her announcement of the 2021 bill, Coleman highlighted Trump’s accomplishments in strengthening Missouri’s economy, defending values, and making America great during his first term. Missouri lawmakers have also considered honoring other national conservatives, such as the late Rush Limbaugh, who hailed from Cape Girardeau.

Despite efforts to commemorate Limbaugh by designating January 12 as “Rush Limbaugh Day,” the language did not make it into the final text of a bill in 2021. Trump’s name has been featured on highways in various locations outside Missouri, including in politically unfriendly areas.

For example, a man adopted portions of roads in Springfield, Virginia, and had Trump’s name displayed on VDOT adopt-a-highway signs on Ox Road in Lorton. In Oklahoma, a 20-mile stretch of U.S. 287 was designated after Trump in 2021, and in Hialeah, Florida, an avenue near a casino was renamed Donald J. Trump Avenue.

In his home state of New York, a 430-acre park called Donald J. Trump State Park was created in 2006 after Trump donated the land to the state. The park fell into disrepair and remains largely unmaintained, with efforts by New York Democrats to rename it after a woman killed during the 2017 Charlottesville riot.

After Trump’s recent legal troubles, there have been renewed calls to rename the park. State Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal expressed hope that Trump’s conviction in a hush-money trial could lead to discussions about changing the park’s name. Hoylman-Sigal, a Democrat, visited the park and noted some improvements since Trump gifted it to the state.