(WXYZ) — The Senate passed a bill Thursday to designate a portion of M-10 The Lodge Freeway as the "Aretha L. Franklin Memorial Highway" after the late Queen of Soul.
The section starts near Franklin's father's former church and ends at I-94. The section represents Franklin's connection to her Detroit community and her ties to the church.
Leslie Love (D-Detroit) presented House Bill 4060 and said that the timing fits as June is Black Music Month and also includes Juneteenth, a day which celebrates the end of slavery in the United States.
“During this time, when we remember the struggles and successes of our ancestors, and the achievement of creative musical genius, that this serendipitous bill passage occurred," Love said. "She embodied the very best of our culture and our people...her dedication to her community and social justice can still be felt today."
The bill is set to be presented to Gov. Whitmer.
