(Original story)
SCRANTON -- An iconic spot in Scranton may soon bear the name of another Scranton icon.
Legislation will soon be introduced in Harrisburg to name the new Harrison Avenue Bridge after Vice President Joe Biden.
The new Harrison Avenue Bridge connecting Scranton's Hill Section and South Side could be done by the end of the year. The old one that's been there for almost a century has never had an official name.
A bill needs to be passed in Harrisburg in order to name the new bridge.
Every election cycle, we're reminded of the connection between Scranton and Joe Biden.
The former vice president is a native of the Electric City and State Representative Kevin Haggerty, (D) 112th District, wants to ensure we never forget our connection to "Green Ridge Joe."
"You have to look to somebody for guidance in this business, and he's the one I always have. So, it kind just came to me. What a tribute, connecting Green Ridge and the Hill Section to the south side of Scranton in name of Vice President Joseph R. Biden Bridge," said Rep. Haggerty.
Haggerty showed us the bill he plans to propose this week in Harrisburg to put Biden's name on the new Harrison Avenue Bridge. Its official name has always been the State Route 6011 Bridge.
Biden Bridge might have a better ring to it.
We went to a place where the former VP is favored almost as much as the food -- Hank's Hoagies in Green Ridge.
"Joe Biden's been coming here since he was a little kid, since he was 8, 9 years old. He's been back when he was a senator, back when he was the vice president. We love Joe Biden here," said owner Tom Owens.
And it's obvious. Signs of Biden's political career are just about everywhere. He has a coveted spot on the wall of fame.
And unless it faces opposition in the state capitol, which is unlikely, Biden's name could be on the new bridge, too.
"I think that's awesome," Owens said. "Can't think of a better guy to have it named after."
Construction on the new Harrison Avenue Bridge -- as it's unofficially called now -- is coming to a close. PennDOT officials say they plan to pour concrete this summer. The old Harrison Avenue Bridge won't be torn down until 2018.
The bridge is in an important spot, over Nay Aug Gorge and often thought to be a welcome into Scranton. Should the new span share a name with one of Scranton's finest?
"He's from the area and all that. He was our vice president. It's something we can call the bridge instead of the Harrison Avenue Bridge," said David Schmidtt of Moosic.
Rep. Haggerty still needs co-sponsors and the bill to name the bridge would be voted on in June. He's expecting it will pass and if it does, then he hopes Vice President Biden will make a trip home for the opening of the new bridge.