We, the petitioners, demand that the Missouri State legislators vote to remove the highway interchange language from the Heroes Way Interchange Program. By signing this petition we proclaim that the families of soldiers qualifying under the program should not be restricted in such a manner that they cannot erect the Heroes Way memorial sign within their hometown communities.
The Heroes Way Interchange Program was created in 2009 to honor Missouri soldiers killed in action after September 11, 2001 in either Iraq or Afghanistan. The program was intended to honor soldiers that made the ultimate sacrifice serving their country by allowing for a highway memorial sign with the Heroes Way distinction to be erected in their local community. There are constraints within this law that are currently preventing families of Missouri soldiers from placing their memorial sign near their hometown. The current law clearly indicates that the Heroes Way distinction memorial signs are only allowed on interstate or state highway interchanges. Current law is available here: http://www.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills111/biltxt/truly/HB0798T.htm
There are currently families that our organization has been working with that cannot get their sign erected. The families have raised the $3,200 fee required for the sign, but have been told the closest location they can have a sign is more than a 30 minute drive from their hometown simply because that is the closest highway interchange. We at Heroes Way feel that is an unacceptable answer for these families. They have lost their loved one that gave their life for this country and cannot get the proper memorial close to home. To this point, we have had no luck getting this issue resolved for these families. We must get the law changed to remove the highway interchange language in order to get these signs erected where they belong, in the hometown communities of the soldiers that gave their life.
Heroes Way and these families need your help. Please sign our petition calling the State legislators to act on this travesty right away. We have been working this issue for nearly two years now with no results from legislators. We turn to the public now to call on support for this cause.