On Wednesday, July 11, 2007, former First Lady Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson passed away at age 94.

Mrs. Johnson was the spouse of President Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ), who served in the White House from 1963 until 1969. LBJ died in 1973 at age 64, and Mrs. Johnson will be laid to rest beside him at the LBJ Ranch in their native Texas.

So what does this have to do with roads?

Have you ever noticed the wildflowers planted in the medians and alongside the highways and byways across America? During LBJ's term in office, Mrs. Johnson noticed that the highways, particularly the Interstate Highway System, tended to be cluttered with way too many billboards and other roadside "eyesores" such as junkyards.

In 1965, at her urging, Congress passed the Highway Beautification Act, devoting $320,000,000 to enhancing the look of our nation's highways by planting trees and wildflowers, plus eliminating as many billboards as possible. In fact, LBJ referred to the bill as the "Lady Bird Bill" and gladly signed it into law as a support of his wife's noble endeavors.

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I still think, however, that the highways are cluttered with way too many billboards. One of the worst offenders that comes to my mind are the "We Bare All" billboards that litter I-75 throughout Georgia and Florida, plus these "TOPLESS! TOPLESS!" billboards placed just yards from each other along I-85 in northeast Georgia. How many times do they really need to tell you that they've got topless women who "bare all" before you get the picture?

I don't mind seeing the occasional billboard for services such as restaurants, hotels, and campgrounds, but, for crying out loud, how many times do you have to tell me about it before I get the picture? The best example I recall is the barrage of "KING FROG" billboards along I-75 in south Georgia. I have no beef with King Frog or their establishments, but again, do they really need to be that "in your face" with their ads?

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Mrs. Johnson, thank you very much for your contributions to our nation by helping to make our highways a little bit brighter and less "utilitarian" looking, and may you rest in His eternal peace. Please keep the Johnson family in your thoughts and prayers and think about "Lady Bird" when you see the flowers planted along our vast network of highways.

That's all for now. Thanks for coming by, please tell all your friends about my blogsite, and please visit often.

P.S. To fellow ham operator and "Georgia Road Geek" blog reader Darryl: Thanks for the QSO (conversation) this afternoon on the "8-2 machine" and for your kind words about my blog.

        

 

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