Buffalo Rising Online

Jun 18th 2008, 11:54am By buffalorising

Pretty soon, when headed to a Buffalo Bills game you’ll want to take the Timothy J. Russert Highway to get there. Senators Charles Schumer and Hillary Clinton and Congressman Brian Higgins introduced a resolution today to rename the stretch of highway that runs by Ralph Wilson Stadium. US Route 20a between Abbot Road and California Road would be named after the Meet The Press moderator.

You can view a copy of the resolution here.

From the press release:


“Though he redefined Washington for generations to come, Tim Russert was always—to his very core—Mr. Buffalo,” said Schumer. “He was a shining example of the very best in Western New York—a down-to-earth, family man with rock solid values and an irreplaceable twinkle in his eye. He always cared about the Bills, and whenever I went on Meet The Press, we’d spend a few minutes before or after the show talking about the team. By naming this portion of Route 20a in his honor, we hope that Tim Russert will never be far from the home he loved so dearly.”

“Tim Russert was loved and respected throughout the halls of Washington for his journalistic integrity and trademark tenacity – but during all of his years in D.C. he remained a true Buffalonian at heart,” said Senator Clinton. “Some people may not have understood why he would sign off of a hard-hitting political talk show with a hearty ‘Go Bills,’ but if you knew Tim you knew it made perfect sense. I hope that by renaming this stretch of Route 20a near Ralph Wilson Stadium in Tim’s honor, that it will in some way bring him closer to the city and team he loved so much.”

“Whether it was talking about growing up in South Buffalo in his books or using the NBC bully pulpit to cheer on the Bills before a big game, to many, Buffalo helped define who Tim was. Buffalo was always in Tim’s heart and Tim will always live on in the hearts of Western New Yorkers. It’s only fitting that from now on, Bills fans driving down “Timothy J. Russert Highway” will always reminded of this hometown hero and personification of the 12th man.”

“The proposal to rename the stretch of U.S. Route 20a that runs next to the stadium in honor of Tim Russert is a wonderful tribute to a great man. I want to thank Senator Clinton, Senator Schumer and Congressman Higgins for their efforts to make this happen. I, like many others, was shocked when I heard the sad news of Tim’s passing. We loved Tim and he loved Buffalo and the Bills,” said Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson, Jr.