The Illinois House of Representatives voted unanimously Wednesday to name a section of Interstate 70, approaching the new Mississippi River bridge, in honor of former Congressman Jerry Costello.

The vote was 117-0, but there was one House member abstaining from the vote: The former congressman's son, state Rep. Jerry Costello II, D-Smithton.

The resolution to name the section of roadway the U.S. Congressmann Jerry F. Costello Expressway was sponsored by state Rep. Dan Beiser, D-Alton. The renamed section of Interstate 70 will run from the newly-rerouted I-70 from its connection at Interstate 64 to the new Mississippi River bridge.

The bill states that it's fitting to name that section in honor of the former congressman because he "played an instrumental role in securing substantial federal funding" for the bridge project and because he "made it a priority to boost the local economy by building a new transportation and infrastructure network for the region."

The former congressman, a Belleville Democrat, served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1988 to January.

The bill now goes to the Senate. If approved there, it would go to the governor.

In the House, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle offered kind words about the former congressman during discussion of the resolution.

The younger Costello said afterward: "I am obviously biased, but I believe his bipartisan record and years of service speak for themselves."