Heavily used California interstate to be named after late, great baseball legend

The section of the highway fittingly runs near Oracle Park, the home of the San Francisco Giants, where Mays became a beloved figure.Photo byJake WeirickonUnsplash

Baseball legend Willie Mays will soon have a stretch of Interstate 80 in San Francisco named in his honor. The California Legislature approved Senate Concurrent Resolution 169, introduced by Senators Bill Dodd (D-Napa) and Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), designating the portion of I-80 between Post Mile 3.836 and Post Mile 5.700 as "Willie Mays Highway."

The section of the highway fittingly runs near Oracle Park, the home of the San Francisco Giants, where Mays became a beloved figure. “This is an absolute homerun,” said Sen. Dodd, emphasizing the tribute to the iconic No. 24.

The Department of Transportation will now work on funding and installing the highway signs. Mays, who passed away on June 19 at the age of 93, will be remembered as the "Say Hey Kid," with his legacy enduring on the roads leading to the ballpark where he made history.