DALLAS — The S. M. Wright Freeway signs whose removal created an uproar from the Southern Dallas community have been "restored to their rightful place," the city announced Wednesday.
Last week, residents, pastors, and the Family of Dr. S. M. Wright expressed discontent and demanded answers from city leaders following the removal.
“I want to sincerely thank the community for your outspoken advocacy on this matter,” said Dallas city council member Adam Bazaldua. "SM Wright freeway is more than just a name on a street topper. He was a man who represented so much to South Dallas, and played a pivotal role in shaping the Dallas we know today."
The reason for the sign removal, according to the Texas Department of Transportation, was that the city of Dallas made a mistake in 1995. The application to change the name from State Highway 310 to S.M. Wright Freeway was never finished.
The city said some street signs still have a "Central" sign under the S.M. Wright street sign. The Central signs will be removed once the City Council votes to remove them.
The remaining S.M. Wright signs that have not yet been installed are scheduled to be completed by Sunday, according to city officials.
S.M. Wright pastored the People's Missionary Baptist Church in South Dallas from 1957 until he died in 1994. His son, S.M. Wright II, became the church pastor in 1993.
The highway was called Central Expressway until 1995, when then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush changed the name to S.M. Wright Freeway, according to the S.M. Wright Foundation.
The area is being reconstructed as part of a Texas Department of Transportation project to “transform” the S.M. Wright Freeway into a six-lane boulevard with traffic signals.
