Pueblo City Council approves renaming U.S. 50 roadway Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Bypass

Pueblo City Council voted unanimously Monday to rename a well-trafficked Pueblo roadway in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Bypass will be the new name of U.S. Highway 50 Bypass from Interstate 25 to Colorado Highway 96, Cesar Chavez Boulevard and the U.S. Highway 50 Bypass interchange. It runs through the Belmont and East Side neighborhoods toward the southeast edge of Eastwood Heights.

The initiative to name a roadway after King was led by the Pueblo NAACP branch following requests by community members. NAACP Pueblo members met with the city of Pueblo in January 2023 with recommendations.

NAACP Pueblo initially recommended the renaming of a south side section of Pueblo Boulevard after King, but later agreed to the city's recommendation to rename the section of U.S. Highway 50 Bypass.

"We are confident that renaming this portion of (U.S. 50) will provide a sense of pride for Pueblo people of color," said Ron Wiley, a Pueblo NAACP executive committee member. "It's a visual recognition for those of us in the struggle and a positive addition to the diversity in the Pueblo community."

The U.S. Highway 50 Bypass stretch being renamed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Bypass is a popular roadway for individuals driving to Pueblo Memorial Airport. A Pueblo City Council background paper estimated that over 10,000 vehicle trips are made along the roadway each day.

There are 18 properties along the south frontage road and 1 property along the north frontage road of the approved Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Bypass. However, Pueblo Director of Planning & Community Development Scott Hobson said the name change will not impact any addresses.

"(Properties) will still retain their U.S. Highway 50 Frontage Road addresses," Hobson told council Monday night. "Therefore all 19 properties will not have their address physically changed."

Signage at Hudson, Norwood and Troy avenues' intersections with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Bypass will be updated at a cost of $2,228 to the city of Pueblo. Additional "MLK Bypass" highway signs provided by the Colorado Department of Transportation are anticipated to cost between $265,000 and $300,000.

MLK Day of Service hosted by NAACP, city of Pueblo

To further commemorate King's legacy, the Pueblo NAACP and the City of Pueblo are inviting community members to participate in the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service on Monday, Jan. 15.

Day of Service participants will meet at 1:45 p.m. in the El Pueblo History Museum courtyard. Participants will receive gloves and trash bags and clean up the area north of Union Avenue, east of Grand Avenue, south of 3rd Street and west of Court Street.

Other cleanup areas include Central Plaza and City Center Plaza by the Headwaters Fountain. The day of service will last until 3:45 p.m. For more information, contact Pueblo Public Works at 719-553-2295 or pubworks@pueblo.us.

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Pueblo Chieftain reporter James Bartolo can be reached at JBartolo@gannett.com. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Where in Pueblo is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Bypass? What to know