Longtime KNBC Traffic Reporter Paul Johnson Gets His Own Freeway

Longtime KNBC traffic reporter Paul Johnson, who died of a brain tumor this summer, is being honored with his own freeway.

A stretch of the 55 freeway in Orange County has been named the Paul Johnson Memorial Freeway.

“In a business that thrives on its breathless reporting of breaking news, developing stories, hourly updates, Paul defined the art of reassurance,” said Keith Esparros, KNBC’s assistant news director, said.

Esparros was instrumental in getting the freeway renamed and he joined Johnson’s widow, Nancy, and others for a brief ceremony along the freeway on Tuesday morning.

Nancy told KNBC that her husband was aware of the honor before he died. “He was blown away,” she said.