Michael Hayden, director of the CIA who grew up in the North Side, likes to tell people that he left Pittsburgh 39 years ago, but Pittsburgh never left him.

Now he's always here. Even when he's not.

City officials last month erected a "Gen. Michael V. Hayden Blvd" sign on the west side of Heinz Field near the intersection of Allegheny Avenue and North Shore Drive.

The street sign is "honorary," meaning that Allegheny Avenue has not been renamed, said Joanna Doven, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's spokeswoman.

Rather, the sign was erected as a monument to Hayden's ground-breaking career: He is the first man to be named director of both the CIA and the National Security Agency, and he was the first deputy director of National Intelligence.

The idea for the honorary sign struck Mayor Luke Ravenstahl at a dinner in February.

Ravenstahl sat next to Hayden's brother, Harry, and peppered him with questions about the general.

"Luke was very interested in Mike's career," Harry Hayden recalled. "By the end of our conversation, he said, 'You know, we should do something for him. Let me work on it with my people.' "

On July 23, the sign appeared.

It is not clear how long it will stay up, or if Ravenstahl will push to have the street permanently renamed.

But the mayor clearly likes it.

"When I drive past the sign I am reminded of the great leaders that are born in Pittsburgh," Ravenstahl said in a statement Friday. "And though they might leave Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh never leaves them. They always remain Pittsburgh Proud."

Gen. Hayden, a former Steelers ball boy who attends as many games as his schedule allows, has not seen the signs. So Harry Hayden took photos and sent them to his brother.

"He was very surprised," Harry Hayden said. "He said, 'Wow! Do you think I'll be able to park there during Steelers games?' "

Not legally, but who's going to stop him?