Supervisor Knabe Weighs Changing Name of Marina Freeway to Ballona Freeway

By City News Service

Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe, who opposed a plan to change the name of the Marina (90) Freeway to the Ballona Freeway in recognition of nearby wetlands, said Tuesday he would reconsider his position.

More than a dozen supporters of the renaming, already approved by the Los Angeles City Council and Mayor Eric Garcetti, told the Board of Supervisors the change would honor the environment and draw more eco-tourism to Marina del Rey.

The freeway connects Marina del Rey to the San Diego (405) Freeway.

The name change was proposed by Los Angeles City Councilman Mike Bonin, and Knabe made a motion to oppose that change.

"Changing the name of this 1.5-mile route would needlessly strip a vital community of a transit gateway strongly associated with Marina del Rey's identity and would likely cause unnecessary confusion for motorists," according to Knabe's motion.

But environmentalists and other supporters of the Ballona designation said directional signage to Marina del Rey would remain in place. They urged the board to "embrace the wetlands" as an environmental asset.

"'Marina' is just another manmade marina," while the Ballona Wetlands are "very special, very unique," Lynn Edelman said.

The wetlands provide a refuge for migratory birds and other plant and animal life.

Some residents raised concerns that Knabe's opposition was related to plans to widen the freeway, which the supervisor said was untrue.

But Knabe seemed reluctant to give up the fight.

"There's more to Marina del Rey than just Ballona Creek," Knabe said.

In the end, Knabe agreed to take his motion off the table, at least for now, and discuss the matter further with his own staff and city officials.

In Orange County, an eastern, never-connected section of SR 90 in Yorba Linda is known as the Richard M. Nixon Freeway between Kellogg Drive and its end at Orangethorpe Avenue. Between Yorba Linda Boulevard and Kellogg Drive, it is known as the Richard M. Nixon Parkway.