A dedication ceremony honoring Sgt. Michael J. Beckerman was held Saturday, July 28, at 1:30 p.m. at the Ste. Genevieve Community Center located at 21390 Highway 32 in Ste. Genevieve, Mo. Exit 143 on Interstate 55 was named the Sgt. Michael J. Beckerman interchange.

Sgt. Michael J. Beckerman of Ste. Genevieve, Mo., of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky., was killed on Dec. 31, 2010 from injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his dismounted patrol in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan.

Speakers included:

• Ms. Christy Mercer on behalf of U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill

• Ms. Kathy Waltz on behalf of U.S. Representative Russ Carnahan

• Kevin Engler, Missouri Senate, District 3

• Joe Fallert, Missouri House of Representatives, District 104

• Ms. Lois Flieg, former teacher and friend of the family

• Ms. Lisa Beckerman McGregor, Sgt. Beckerman's mother

• MoDOT Southeast District Engineer Mark Shelton

The Heroes Way Interstate Interchange Program legislation, passed in 2009, allows interstate interchanges to be designated for Missouri residents, who were in the armed forces, and were killed in action on or after Sept. 11, 2001, in either Afghanistan or Iraq. In 2011, Representative Linda Black sponsored legislation, which expands the original law to include state numbered highways. Signed by Governor Jay Nixon, the law became effective on Aug. 28, 2011. 

For more information on the dedication ceremony, please contact MoDOT's Customer Service Center at 1-888-ASK-MODOT (1-888-275-6636).