BERMUDA RUN - Officials from the N.C. Department of Transportation joined friends and family members on Friday, Oct. 12, to unveil a sign that will designate a portion of Interstate 40 in honor of the distinguished service, career and accomplishments of North Carolina Senator Betsy L. Cochrane.
“Dedicating this portion of highway is a well-deserved tribute to Senator Cochrane who has given unselfishly of her time and has worked tirelessly to advance her community,” said North Carolina Department of Transportation Division 9 Board Member Michael Wells Sr.
The Davie County Board of Commissioners requested to name a portion of Interstate 40 in her honor and in May of 2018 the State Board of Transportation unanimously approved the proposal.
Senator Cochrane garnered many accolades during her public service including but not limited to:
- Being the first woman elected to the State Senate from her district in Davie County;
- Serving four terms in the N.C. House of Representatives and six terms in the N.C. Senate;
- Being the first woman to hold a leadership post in both chambers;
- Serving as house minority leader from 1985 to 1988;
- Being the first female Republican leader in the Senate presiding in the 1989 session;
“We all recognized back then just how impactful Senator Cochrane’s service was, thus I presented her the Order of the Long Leaf Pine and am happy to stand and honor her legacy today,” said Former Governor James Martin, the keynote speaker for Friday’s highway dedication ceremony.
The stretch of I-40 honoring Cochrane is from the Davie/Forsyth County line to Rainbow Road in Davie County.