Celebrating Mike's Way
The celebration was held on the newly refurbished thoroughfare – previously declared one of Camden's worst roads – a half-mile connector between heavily trafficked Marlton Pike and Federal Street.
CAMDEN – Camden native and NFL veteran Mike Rozier, who earned the Heisman Trophy during a stellar college football career at the University of Nebraska, now has the city street where he grew up named for him.
Amid cheers and applause, the Camden County Board of Commissioners – along with Camden Mayor Victor Carstarphen, other government officials and Rozier’s 93-year-old mother Beatrice – gathered on April 9, 2024, to mark the end of a $10-million upgrade of 27th Street in East Camden, now known as Mike Rozier Way.
The celebration was held on the newly refurbished thoroughfare – previously declared one of the city’s worst roads – a half-mile connector between heavily trafficked Marlton Pike and Federal Street.
The ceremony marked a momentous occasion in the ongoing revitalization of Camden’s infrastructure.
“This was a huge undertaking but a necessary one,” remarked Commissioner Al Dyer, who is also liaison to the county Department of Public Works. “Through this project, we have been able to completely transform this roadway into a strong piece of county infrastructure that is set to last decades.”
The reconstruction was undertaken in four phases and addressed concerns raised over the years by residents, stakeholders, and the community, including safety and mobility for both vehicles and pedestrians and enhanced accessibility..
Rozier, deeply moved by the street renaming, expressed his gratitude to the community that shaped his journey to football success.
“My family grew up on this street,” he noted, “and this city is in my blood. I want every kid in this city to know that my legacy can be their legacy, too.”
Camden School Superintendent Katrina McCombs emphasized the significance of honoring Rozier’s achievements.
“His journey from the fields of Eastside High (formerly Woodrow Wilson High) and beyond embodies the spirit of resilience, hard work, and commitment that we strive to instill in all our students,” she said.
City Council President Angel Fuentes echoed that sentiment, expressing excitement over both the project’s completion and the street’s renaming.
“The wait is finally over as we cut the ribbon today and honor a former high-school peer of mine from Woodrow Wilson High School, alumni Mike Rozier,” Fuentes noted. “Our residents were delighted by the dedication and ecstatic with the new road surface, sidewalks, and paved rear alleys.”
The $10 million upgrade of 27th Street was funded through a collaboration with the county, the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank and the state Department of Transportation.
(This story was produced as part of the Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University's South Jersey Information Equity Project fellowship and supported with funding from the Independence Public Media Foundation, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, and the NJ Civic Information Consortium.)
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