Robin Williams' name to adorn Marin County tunnel

SAN FRANCISCO — Whenever actor Robin Williams had to make the drive back to his bayside home in Tiburon, Calif., he had to pass through Marin County's Waldo Tunnel. Now that passage will be called the Robin Williams Tunnel.

The California State Senate has approved a resolution to rename the tunnel, nicknamed the "Rainbow Tunnel" due to the colors painted over its entry. That's a happy coincidence given that Williams, who grew up in Tiburon and attended Redwood High School, first came into the public spotlight playing a sitcom alien, Mork from Ork, who often wore rainbow-colored suspenders.

It will cost approximately $3,000 to change the signs at the tunnel, and the funds will be raised privately. New signs are expected to be up by fall.

The move to rename the tunnel — originally honoring a 19th-century politician — was kicked off by Tiburon resident Julie Wainwright, CEO of The RealReal and former CEO of Internet boom-and-bust hallmark, Pets.com.

On her Change.org petition page, Wainwright writes that Williams was her "neighbor — I often saw him running errands, walking the dog, performing at the local theater, working at the coffee shop. Robin wasn't just an international icon — he was an integral part of our community here in the Bay Area. We claim him as our own."

The Oscar-winning actor and uproarious comedian took his own life on Aug. 11, 2014. After Williams' death, it was revealed that he was suffering from early signs of Parkinson's.