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Senate designates stretch of I‑71 in Columbus as Chief James G. Jackson Memorial Highway
Summary
The Ohio Senate passed Senate Bill 95 to name a portion of Interstate 71 in Columbus after James G. Jackson, the former Columbus police chief. Sponsors highlighted Jackson’s 50-year career, leadership milestones and community impact; the bill passed 32-0.
The Ohio Senate on May 13 passed Senate Bill 95 to designate a portion of Interstate 71 in Columbus as the Chief of Police James G. Jackson Memorial Highway.
Senator Michele Reynolds, sponsor of the bill, described Chief James G. Jackson as a “visionary leader” and the longest-serving chief in Columbus history, noting Jackson’s efforts to promote diversity in the police force and his long public-service career. Reynolds said the designated stretch runs between I‑670 and Hudson Street in Columbus and that the naming would place Jackson’s legacy along a heavily traveled corridor.
Senator Jay Craig and other colleagues praised Jackson’s leadership and community impact, noting the chief’s efforts to promote minority recruitment and to advance fair policing practices. Craig described Jackson as someone who “served with distinction” and whose leadership elevated others in law enforcement.
The bill passed the Senate on a roll-call vote of 32 yeas and 0 nays. The enacted section will add a memorial designation to the Ohio Revised Code for the specified portion of I‑71 in Columbus.
Sponsors framed the designation as a public recognition of Jackson’s lifetime of service and as a visible testament to values of representation and community trust. The bill advances in the legislative process toward final enactment procedures for roadway namings.
