State Rep. John Roth on Tuesday spoke before the House Transportation Committee, urging his colleagues to support his plan, House Bill 4046, to rename a portion of US-31 in Grand Traverse County as the Trooper James E. Boland Memorial Highway. Boland was killed in service in 1987. Roth’s bill passed the committee with unanimous support.

“While Trooper Boland made the ultimate sacrifice almost 40 years ago now, I’m honored to be the one telling his story of service in Lansing today,” said Roth, R-Interlochen. “Renaming this portion of US-31 in Trooper Boland’s honor will ensure that his legacy lives on long past any of us. Millions of people visit Traverse City each year, which means that if we get this done for Trooper Boland and his family, millions will see his name and hear about the service he so bravely offered all those years ago.”

Boland was working as a Michigan State Police trooper when he was tragically struck and killed by a driver on July 26, 1987. He was directing traffic on East Front Street and Barlow Street in Traverse City during the National Governors’ Conference when he was struck by a vehicle traveling at high speed that then fled the scene due to intoxication. First aid was administered on scene, but Boland was pronounced dead on arrival at Munson Hospital. He was the 40th MSP officer to die in the line of duty at the time of his death.

House Bill 4046 moves to the full House for further consideration.

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