East Peoria residents now have a new option for getting to the city’s new Levee District. City officials officially opened Spinder Drive Bridge during a ribbon cutting ceremony.
The structure is an extension of Altorfer Lane that crosses Farm Creek. The bridge is expected to enhance traffic to the new downtown. It was named for former Mayor James Spinder who originally pushed for the city to revitalize the downtown between 1967 and 1975. Spinder’s wife, Evalyn, accepted the honor for her late husband and got to be the first person to drive over the newly opened structure.
“People more our age remember it and say Jim was the basis, of course a lot’s been done. But I think he’s looking down today and saying, ‘Well done, East Peoria,' with the city he dearly loved.”
The project to construct Spinder Drive costs about two-point-nine million dollars. It connects Camp and Washington streets.