NATCHEZ &045;&045; Willie Mae Hughes has been watching out for children along her stretch of Government Fleet Road for years.

Now she can breathe a little easier about their safety &045;&045; from the porch of her home on Hughes Lane.

The reconstruction of Government Fleet Road allowed a small frontage road to be built in front of Hughes’ and others’ houses, and city leaders later requested the small street be named for the Hughes family.

Both Hughes and her late husband Elbert, who raised four children together, were educators and were active in the community.

&uot;She was very instrumental in bringing to our attention the safety concerns (along Government Fleet Road),&uot; Natchez Alderwoman Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis said, who said Hughes was worried about the children who lived and played along the road.

&uot;That (concern) resulted in this frontage road,&uot; Arceneaux-Mathis said.

Members of the family were on hand Monday morning as the new sign was unveiled, shortly after city officials cut the ribbon on the widened Government Fleet Road.

&uot;I think I’ll live a couple years longer,&uot; Hughes laughed as she thanked city officials for the honor. &uot;Now I won’t have to do anything but sit out and watch the children &045;&045; and see if they’re doing wrong or right.&uot;

&uot;It’s a great honor to have a road named after your family,&uot; Hughes’ daughter, Dale Hughes Smith, said.

The Hughes’ other children are Elbert Jr., Larry Lee Hughes and Lee Wong Hughes.