U.S. 17 Stretch to be Named After Charleston Nine

For years, the bustling retail corridor along West Ashley’s Highway 17 has been known as the “auto mile” for its collection of car dealerships or Savannah Highway, for the city that marks its southern destination. Soon, this stretch will have a more poignant name, one designed to keep a tragic memory alive through the ages.

With wide support, state lawmakers have approved a bill naming a 3.6-mile portion of U.S. Highway 17 the “Charleston Nine Memorial Highway,” after the nine city firefighters who died in the June 18 Sofa Super Store fire.

The stretch of road runs from the intersection with S.C. Highway 171 to Sam Rittenberg Boulevard and includes the sofa store site, which the city hopes to acquire and turn into a memorial.

State Rep. Leon Stavrinakis, a Charleston Democrat and lead sponsor of the bill, said the move will provide a fitting tribute to the fallen firefighters and ensure that people will always remember what happened that day.

Read more in tomorrow’s Post and Courier.