This week, Camden City celebrated a local legend with the renaming of 27th Street in honor of hometown hero and Heisman Trophy winner, Mike Rozier.
Mayor Victor Carstarphen, alongside the Board of Commissioners, elected officials, and the local community, gathered on Tuesday to commemorate this event. Rozier himself, a proud Camden native and NFL retiree, shared his feelings about his roots.
“Everywhere I went, I was first to tell people I’m from Camden, New Jersey,” Rozier said.
Rozier, a Woodrow Wilson High School graduate, played eight seasons in the NFL — including stints in Houston and Atlanta.
In 2005, he was inducted into the inaugural class of the Camden County Sports Hall of Fame and the New Jersey Sports Hall of Fame. The following year he earned his place in the College Football Hall of Fame.
During the renaming ceremony, Mayor Carstarphen highlighted the completion of an extensive reconstruction project on the newly named street.
“The 27th Street reconstruction has been long awaited and the renaming of the street after Camden legend Mike Rozier tops off a historic day,” Camden Mayor Victor Carstarphen said.
The New Jersey Infrastructure Bank contributed $3.5 million to the expansion of 27th Street, enabling the addition of south-side parking and two-way travel lanes, and the installation of new curbs, handicap ramps, and sidewalks. Additionally, an extra $5.5 million was invested in upgrading the city’s sewer and storm infrastructure, with further funds allocated for paving numerous alleyways that have been part of the community landscape for many years.
Josephine Stevenson, a long-time Camden resident, reflected on the changes from her front step, noting the improvements after years of decay.
“Felt like it became worse until it became good,” said Stevenson, a mother of three daughters, one of whom is a teacher at Camden High School. “Even so, I am very happy to see that things are coming together in this city.”
Mayor Carstarphen reiterated the city’s commitment to modernizing its infrastructure as essential for Camden’s future as a 21st-century city, outlining multiple enhancements made during the reconstruction to increase safety, mobility, and accessibility for all residents.
“If Camden is to become a model 21st century city, improving our aging infrastructure and improving roadway conditions must remain a top concern,” Carstarphen said.
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.
