The city of Berkeley is calling on residents to help rename a two-block stretch of Shattuck Avenue that was recently realigned to make it a continuous two-way street.
The city realigned the street in December and is now seeking community input to rename Shattuck Avenue “East” in honor of one of six culturally and historically significant Berkeley residents. The city said last week it narrowed the list to six potential names after receiving more than 900 community suggestions.
The finalists are: Kala Bagai, who was dubbed “Mother India” for her efforts in the 20th century to end racist housing practices against South Asian immigrants in the city; Maggie Gee, a Congressional Gold Medal recipient and UC Berkeley-educated physicist who trained fighter pilots during World War II; William Byron Rumford, a pharmacist, activist and state Assemblyman; librarian, suffragist and Assemblywoman Anna Saylor; human trafficking victim Sitha Vemireddy; and Ohlone or a similar indigenous name as identified by the Bay Area’s Muwekma Ohlone Tribe.
Berkeley residents can take the online survey to rename the street by 5 p.m. Feb. 26. The survey includes descriptions of each finalist and a map of where the realigned street section is located.
The Berkeley City Council will discuss the results and choose the winning name at its March 24 meeting.