SCOTT BENNETT

SPRINGFIELD — A bill to honor a late state senator by renaming the Kickapoo Rail Trail bridge after him passed the Illinois Senate on Thursday, April 16.

It was announced that state Sen. Paul Faraci, D-Champaign, advanced an initiative that would honor the legacy and impact of the late state Sen. Scott Bennett, D-Champaign, by renaming the railroad trestle bridge on the Kickapoo Rail Trail.

“Scott Bennett was not only a mentor to me, he was also a dear friend whose dedication to his communities has inspired much of my work in the Senate to date,” Faraci said. “Renaming the bridge on Kickapoo Rail Trail in honor of his life and work is common sense. He made tangible, necessary and valuable change for our communities with our residents’ best interest always at the forefront, and nothing deserves recognition more than that.”

The proposal would honor Bennett’s memory in Vermilion County by designating the bridge on the trail as the “Senator Scott Bennett Memorial Bridge.” The measure would also allow the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to put up plaques in recognition of the designation, pending the agency’s funding availability.

In his time as state senator of the 52nd District, Bennett, a native of Gibson City and graduate of Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley High School, served communities in East Central Illinois from 2015 until his death in 2022. Faraci said that Bennett worked tirelessly to promote the environment and that, as a Central Illinois native, he was a longtime supporter of the Kickapoo Rail Trail and fought for funding to expand regional connectivity through the trail.

“Scott left a lasting impact on our district and on our state that will never go unnoticed,” Faraci said. “This is just a small, yet permanent, symbol of our respect for his legacy — both civic and environmental.”

Senate Bill 2859 heads to the Illinois House for future consideration.