What started as a petition from community residents culminated last night in the naming of the Farnham Street Bridge after Galesburg’s first female City Council member.The current City Council approved the naming with a 5-1 vote, Angela Bastian was not in attendance and Wayne Allen was opposed.
Retired teacher Jim Jacobs has been a vocal proponent of the naming, speaking at meetings and presenting the petition to the City Clerk.
Jacobs on Monday credited Bobby Strong with originating the idea.
The reasoning behind naming this particular bridge after Shotts is because she was said to be instrumental in replacing the Farnham Street Bridge, petitioning the state government in 1975, when the bridge was wooden and owned by Santa Fe Railway.
Shotts was concerned with the safety of children crossing the bridge, going to or coming from school.
When ground broke in 1976, construction began on the bridge’s structure that is currently under construction.
City administration still says that later this month the Aline Shotts Bridge is expected to open for traffic after work began in May.
