COLUMBIA - From the Buster Boyd Bridge spanning Lake Wylie to the Juanita White Crosswalk near Hardeeville at the state's southern tip, it's hard to go far in South Carolina without driving on, over, or under something named for someone.

The state Department of Transportation lists more than 600 highways, bridges, interchanges, overpasses and crosswalks named for individuals, from the famous to the obscure, from astronauts and athletes to small-town mayors.

But some lawmakers think the time has come to rein in their impulse to name pieces of the highway system for people still living.

Once they're dead, said Rep. Ron Townsend, R-Anderson, chairman of the House committee that deals with roads, "they're most likely not going to do anything to dishonor themselves."

The S.C House voted last week to rename the Earle Morris Highway -- S.C. 153 in Anderson and Pickens counties -- after its namesake, a former S.C. lieutenant governor and state comptroller general, was convicted of securities fraud. The Senate has not yet acted.

Meanwhile, a separate bill prohibiting naming roads and bridges after anyone living, received a setback in Townsend's committee. Instead of being passed on to the full House for a vote, it was sent back to subcommittee for further work.

The main objector to the bill, Rep. Bessie Moody-Lawrence, D-Rock Hill, said, "There are a lot of people who have sacrificed and given, who deserve to have this honor during their lifetime."

But other committee members said that honor has been diluted by the freehanded way in which lawmakers have been handing it out.

"We'll name a retention pond after somebody," said Rep. Ted Pitts, R-Lexington.

Townsend agreed. "We're a group of folks who are elected, and we like to make people happy," he said.

The bill's author, House Speaker David Wilkins, R-Greenville, said he expects that it will ultimately reach the House floor this session.

He said that although the Earle Morris situation "is an example of why this bill is needed," it wasn't the reason he introduced it.

Rather, Wilkins said, he has long been concerned about what he called the "inappropriate proliferation" of naming roads. Also, he said, "Only after a proper amount of time following one's passing can their contributions and life's legacy be legitimately evaluated."

Right now, at least 19 current S.C. public officials, including eight current lawmakers, have a road, a bridge or an interchange named after them.

In North Carolina, transportation officials in 1998 adopted a policy of waiting five years after a person's death before naming something after them.

But the policy was rescinded a year later. Officials said the honor would be of more value if the person were still alive.

Along the (Insert Name) Way

Highways, bridges and interchanges in York County that are named for individuals:

A.L. Black Highway: S.C. 49, S.C. 211 and S.C. 97 between York and Smyrna.

Buster Boyd Bridge over Lake Wylie on S.C. 49.

Harold K. Davis Highway: S.C. 55, S.C. 557 and S.C. 49 from Clover to Buster Boyd Bridge.

J. Bate Harvey Bridge over Big Allison Creek on Paraham Road.

John McKee Spratt Bridge over Catawba River on I-77.

Joseph L. Saye Bridge over Big Turkey Creek on Shannon Road near Sharon.

Thomas B. Spratt Bridge over Catawba River on U.S. 21.

W. Herbert Smith Highway: U.S. 321 in Clover.

William R. Bradford Bridge (formerly Doby's Bridge Road bridge) southeast of Fort Mill.

Coleman Poag Interchange: I-77 at Cherry Road.

J.H. "Hoss" Nesbitt Interchange: I-77 at S.C. 160.

Becky Meacham-Richardson Highway: Gold Hill Road from I-77 to S.C. 160.

Robert L. McFadden Interchange: I-77 at U.S. 21 S.

Samuel R. Foster Interchange: I-77 at S.C. 901.

B. Bayles Mack Highway: I-77 from U.S. 21 to S.C. 9.

Charles E. Powers Interchange: I-77 at Sutton Road.

Source: S.C. Department of Transportation