KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — Nearly four months after Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Ryan Proxmire was shot and killed in the line of duty, a bill drafted by state lawmakers will look to cement his name along one of West Michigan’s busiest highways.
House Bill 5585, which was introduced Tuesday by Rep. Julie Rogers, D-Kalamazoo, would dedicate a section of US-131 in Kalamazoo County as “Sergeant Ryan J. Proxmire Memorial Highway.” The stretch begins at the Center Road exit and continues south for 2 miles.
Rogers said picking the location was a collaborative effort between the sheriff’s office and the Proxmire family, choosing one that means a lot to them.
“That’s an area his family is from: the Three Rivers-Schoolcraft area,” Rogers explained. “So that was a commonly traveled route of his as he went from the county sheriff’s office down back home each day after work.”
The bill has been sent to the House Transportation Committee. If it passes, the highway could be dedicated as early as January.
Rogers wants the project to show those close to Proxmire how much he meant to the community he protected and served.
“I hope that … when his children and family look up as they’re passing by, they have a positive feeling of our community’s appreciation and support,” she said.
The memorial’s cost is around $4,800. Rogers said the fundraising is still being sorted out.