"I couldn't possibly fail to disagree with you less."
17 January 2007Congestion on the Chesapeake westboundLos Angeles has the 5 and the 110; Chicago has the Dan Ryan and the Skyway; Tulsa has the Inner Dispersal Loop. Eric Seymour asks: why not sell the naming rights?
It is now common practice to sell the naming rights for sports venues, convention centers, and other prominent buildings. Why, I wonder, aren't there any roads named by the highest bidder?
In Philadelphia, I-76 is known as the Schuylkill Expressway, I-676 is the Vine St. Expressway, and I-476 west of the city is known as the Blue Route. Other cities have similar colloquialisms for traffic arteries, while others are named in honor of civic leaders. Sports venues used to be named in the same way, but now nearly all have corporate monikers. So why not sell the naming rights for major roadways? Would you want your company associated with the Sure-Kill? And maybe that's the whole issue:
Perhaps federal funding for highway construction and maintenance is part of the reason. But come to think of it, perhaps most corporations don't want their names associated with "traffic jam" or "20-car pileup."
Given the typically lethargic pace on I-44 either side of the Belle Isle Bridge, I bet we could sell it to La-Z-Boy. I'm warming to the idea. The Tostidos Kansas Turnpike has a certain cha-ching to it. Or, maybe the Long Island Nestle's Tea Expressway? And then there's the Haagen-Dazs Holland Tunnel. What about street names? How's Kroger Peachtree Boulevard sound? Or Trump 42nd Street? Let's not forget parks. I'm fond of Hillshire Great Smokies National Park. Yahoo Yellowstone has to be a lock and Duncan Hines Devil's Tower would work. But, there is a limit. I'd have to balk at any highway carrying the Hershey name. Don't get me started. Posted by: mike at 7:18 AM on 17 January 2007We do have names on some expressways. In most cases here in Missouri, they're named after small time bureaucrats. So the smalltime bureaucrats will be caught in a dilemma: they're shot at 1.5 miles of ignored immortality, or money. Posted by: Brian J. at 7:27 AM on 17 January 2007There is nothing new under the sun. Speaking of which, where in the farging hell is the sun? At the very least, I'd like this crapload of ice cleared out before the next crapload of ice is dropped on us. Of course the only reason I still remember that old post is because of your comment. Posted by: McGehee at 8:34 AM on 17 January 2007Maybe Larry Flynt will buy the rights to northbound Broadway Extension and rename it the "Highway to Hell". *snickers* Posted by: Dan B at 11:35 AM on 17 January 2007Sell the naming rights?? Ah, you wimps. SELL THE WHOLE DAMN ROAD. (BTW, I have a bridge available, if anyone's interested.) Posted by: Mister Snitch! at 4:19 PM on 17 January 2007 |