Seven years after his death at age 57, musical legend Prince is being memorialized in his home state of Minnesota with a highway named after him.
By a vote of 55-5, the Minnesota Senate voted to rename a seven-mile stretch of state highway 5 the Prince Rogers Nelson Memorial Highway. The highway runs through the Minneapolis suburbs of Chanhassen and Eden Prairie, near the headquarters of the legendary musician’s record company Paisley Park Records, which since his death has been reestablished as a museum and a memorial.
“Prince was a true genius, a visionary artist who pushed the boundaries of music and cultures in ways that will never be forgotten. His influence can be heard in the work of countless musicians who came after him, and his legacy continues to inspire new generations of artists to this day,” State Senator Julia Coleman, who sponsored the bill, said when it was up for a vote.
The bill came to the Minnesota Senate after being passed unanimously by the House. Minnesota governor Tim Walz is expected to sign it.
The memorial highway will be marked by purple signs all along the seven-mile route. It’s being paid for by friends of Prince as well as some of his fans.
The campaign to name a highway after Prince was started by his friend Mark Webster, who also works at Paisley Park in security.
Prince died April 21, 2016, from an accidental overdose of fentanyl. The “Purple Rain” and “Batdance” star had been privately battling an opioid addiction for years, according to the New York Times. He’d been attempting to treat enormous physical pain due to injuries sustained while performing.
