The Murfreesboro City Council issued a proclamation naming the new bridge "Bridgey McBridgeface" but only for one day - April Fools' Day.
The City of Murfreesboro asked citizens to share their suggestions for naming the so-called “Bridge Over Broad” in an online survey.
The name ‘Bridgey McBridgeface’ gained popularity in part through a social media campaign. It garnered the most votes in the survey with 775 total submissions out of a total of 150 unique names.
The catchy name was supported by a petition drive organized by resident Jeanne Vest on change.org. More than 4,517 people signed the petition.
“The petition has always been about making people smile,” said Vest. “By acknowledging the thousands of ‘McBridgeface’ supporters with an honorary title, the mayor and the City Council have sent a message that they respect the voices of the people who love this city.”
Councilmember Rick LaLance had first proposed “First Responders Memorial Bridge” during a Dec. 3, 2017, council meeting.
The final authority for naming the bridge rests at the state level and the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
The new bridge overpass opened for traffic in December. Known as “Bridge Over Broad,” the $22.8 million bridge project was needed to relieve extreme congestion at the intersection of Broad and Memorial, one of the busiest in the state.
‘Bridgey McBridgeface’ became a name during discussions of naming a new pedestrian bridge in Bristol, England. Officially named ‘Castle Bridge,’ vandals decided to unofficially rename the bridge with graffiti. In Bristol, ‘Bridgey McBridgeface’ failed to make the shortlist for the new official name.
