Franklin County joins Thomas Foley Highway campaign

Franklin County is adding its voice to a movement to rename Highway 395 for the late Thomas Foley.

The Spokane Democrat was the 49th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and represented Washington’s Fifth Congressional District for 30 years. He was defeated in the Republican revolution of 1995, becoming the first sitting Speaker to lose a reelection bid in more than a century.

The county is joining the Spokane Good Roads Association in pushing to rename the entire 275-mile stretch of Highway 395 from the Canadian border to Oregon to honor Foley, who secured money to widen the highway between Pasco and Ritzville. He died in 2013.

Various groups have proposed renaming the highway in his honor since at least 1996. But it wasn’t until recently that his family agreed. His widow, Heather Strachan, now supports the tribute.

This story was originally published February 24, 2016 at 6:10 PM with the headline "Franklin County joins Thomas Foley Highway campaign."