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Portion of Loop 499 in Harlingen dedicated as Col. Bill Card Jr. Blvd.
HARLINGEN — It was a warm and windy Monday as a large group gathered to dedicate a portion of State Highway 499 to honor former Mayor Col. Bill Card Jr., renaming it Col. Bill Card Jr. Boulevard.
"It is fitting that today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day," Mayor Chris Boswell said. "Because today we dedicate this portion of Loop 499 to our local hero."
After 28 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, Card in 1975 came to Harlingen where he was commandant of cadets, senior Marine instructor and director of development at Marine Military Academy.
He served as mayor from 1987 to 1998.
State Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., D-Brownsville, sponsored Senate Bill 1248, which included a provision to allow Harlingen to rename Loop 499 from the corner of Harrison Avenue and Ed Carey Drive to the Expressway 77/83 as Col. Bill Card Jr. Boulevard.
State Rep. Eddie Lucio III, D-San Benito, sponsored House version of the bill.
"Col. Card was one of the greatest Americans I’ve ever met," Lucio said at Monday’s ceremony. "He is my personal hero."
Col. Card’s family was present Monday to accept the dedication.
"We would like to thank the citizens of Harlingen," Bill Card III said to the crowd. "They are one of the greatest gifts dad ever received. What a tribute."
Patti Card Smith called Monday a glorious day.
"(The Card family is) humbled by this," Smith said. "My dad was always one to celebrate with everyone. He never would have asked for this. We are very thankful."
Public Works Director Dan Serna worked with the Texas Department of Transportation to coordinate the ceremony. Instead of going through a lengthy financing process with TxDOT, Serna said he filed for a permit with TxDOT, the city purchased the signs, at a cost of about $2,100, and installed them, Serna said.
One sign is located at the Cardenas car dealership on the north corner of on Loop 499; the other sign is located off the expressway on Loop 499.
Serna said the road is still considered Loop 499, it did not change names, the signs only designate this portion of Loop 499 as Col. Bill Card Jr. Boulevard.
