A stretch of 37th Street in Rock Island will be re-named "Lane Evans Drive" next Wednesday and a longtime friend of the former congressman couldn't be happier.
"I'm proud of him", said Don Lind, who has known Evans since the two were 14 years old.
Lind passed around petitions to try and get a street named after Evans, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 1995. After serving 24 years in the U.S House, Evans was forced to retire because of the illness, and now lives in a local nursing home.
Lind visits him several times a week and says the former Congressman knows about the re-naming of 37th street, which includes the block where Evans grew up.
"He was glad we accomplished it because he reached out his hand to shake my hand", Lind said.
The street unveiling is set for Wednesday, October 16th at 3:30 p.m. Lind says his friend "has good days and bad", and may not be able to be there, but he plans to share a video of the ceremony with him.