Man Helps Change 'Dead End' Sign Leading To Retirement Community
WESTMINSTER, Colo. (CBS4) - A man in Westminster saw his mission quickly accomplished when he asked the city to change a street sign with the wrong connotation. Mike Belew lives at the San Marino retirement community near 75th and Xavier.
Xavier is the only road into the complex and the top of the street sign had a bright yellow sign that read "Dead End."
"I got to thinking about it and I said one morning, you know, every time I pass that sign it says, 'Dead End.' And I said, 'We're literally at a dead end," said the 89-year-old. "I get tired of being reminded every day that I drive past that sign. The majority of us, when we move into a place like this, this is it. This is the last place we live."
He started talking with neighbors and decided he'd do something about it. A trip to the Westminster City Hall was fruitless, but Belew admits it was a halfhearted attempt. Then he called the editor of the city's newspaper.
"I said, 'I'm reminded every day that it's a dead end,' and I said 'I don't like that.' And she says that is so cute," Belew recalled.
Soon public works was involved and within a couple of days the "Dead End" sign was gone, replaced with a "No Outlet" sign.
"Two days. Impossible! No government entity gets anything done in two days," said Belew.
The change came so fast he couldn't believe it the first time he saw "No Outlet."
"I glanced and I thought, that doesn't say dead end. I backed up. I stopped and backed up and backed up to make sure they had changed the sign and sure enough they had," Belew said. "I don't get reminded that I'm going to die here."