A state senator and former Concord mayor wants to name a portion of Interstate 680 after a retired state senator who also served as Concord mayor.

The man proposed for the honor: Daniel Boatwright.

The man proposing the honor: Mark DeSaulnier. The Concord Democrat in the state Senate has proposed legislation to affix the Boatwright name to the stretch of I-680 between the Benicia-Martinez Bridge and Highway 24 in Contra Costa County.

According to a release from DeSaulnier’s office, Boatwright was instrumental in securing funding to widen I-680 during his 24 years in the state Legislature between 1972 and 1996, when he was termed out of office. 

The bill will be heard in a 1:30 p.m. Monday session of the State Assembly Transportation Committee.

From outside the halls of government, you might suggest this naming thing sounds a little like one politico patting another on the back.  On the other hand, if a highway in his district got widened, Boatwright likely had a lot to do with it.  Boatwright chaired the top finance committees in both the state Assembly and Senate, something that – according to one bio on the Web – no other California lawmaker has done. He was a powerhouse in determing where state money was spent.

Now if Boatwright, general counsel with a Sacramento lobbying firm, could just work that magic again and line up money to fix the potholes on I-680 that threw off my car alignment a couple months ago.