Poll: Should The Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge Be Renamed Tappan Zee, Or Something Else?
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Some New York lawmakers are strengthening their push to change the name of the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge back to the Tappan Zee Bridge.
In 2017, Gov. Andrew Cuomo pushed the state Legislature to rename to bridge to honor his late father and New York's 52nd governor.
But in the wake of the sexual harassment scandal that pushed Cuomo to announce his resignation on Tuesday, a bill is being introduced in the state Senate to restore the original name.
"But nobody here in Rockland County calls it the Mario Cuomo Bridge. They still refer to it as the Tappan Zee Bridge," said Rockland County Assemblyman Mike Lawler, who introduced a bill back in March.
"It's also about making sure we are transparent and we receive public input," added state Sen. Mike Martucci, who represents the Hudson Valley and the Catskills.
Also in 2017, a Change.org petition was created to rename the bridge. CBS2's Marcia Kramer interviewed the people who started the movement.
Recently, a new Change.org petition was created to rename the bridge after Jared Lloyd, a Spring Valley firefighter who died in March while battling a blaze at an assisted living facility in Spring Valley.
Tom Manning, a high school teacher from Cheshire, Connecticut, told CBS2's Dave Carlin removing the Cuomo name from the bridge is a good idea.
"Well, if there was a time to pull it, it's probably now," said Manning, who visited the bridge for the first time Thursday, along with his 12-year-old son, Ronan.
"I think he hijacked the opportunity of he was governor to name it after his father," Manning said. "But I think if it had ever been put to a vote, most people, especially from this area, would have left it as a Tappan Zee in the first place."
Manning said the solution is simple because they never got used to calling it the Cuomo Bridge.
"In a case like this, where the natural ability to go back to what most people liked it being called, I think that kind of works out. But I think you run the risk any time you name anything after anyone," Manning said.
PHOTOS: Tappan Zee Bridge Demolition
Carlin found some visitors to the bridge, like Derven Peterson of Mount Vernon, who said just leave the name as is.
"I think it should stay the Mario Cuomo Bridge. Mario Cuomo was a great public servant to our state, for sure," Peterson said.
"I think his father was a great governor and I think his legacy should stand and this bridge should be part of his legacy," added Darren Young, also of Mount Vernon.
CBS2 reached out to Gov. Cuomo's office for comment, but has not yet received a response.
