Chicago legislator wants to name Interstate 55 after President Obama

One Chicago state representative wants to name the majority of Interstate 55 through Illinois after former President Barack Obama, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

State Rep. La Shawn Ford is working on a bill that would name the highway “Barack Obama Expressway” from East St. Louis to the Tri-State Tollway.

“Renaming I-55 for President Barack Obama would not only be an honor for America’s 44th president, but it will be the right measure we should approve for Illinois’ very own state Senator and U.S. Senator,” Ford said in a statement.

The move comes at the same time three state legislators are trying to make Obama’s birthday a state holiday.

The moves come as Illinois enters 2017 with no state budget and $11 billion in overdue bills.

This story was originally published February 22, 2017 at 6:57 PM with the headline "Chicago legislator wants to name Interstate 55 after President Obama."