Part of Route 51 to be named in honor of teens killed in crash
ASSUMPTION, Ill. (WCIA) — A part of Route 51 will be named to honor two teenagers who lost their lives to a car crash in 2022.
16-year-old Conner Rowcliffe and 15-year-old Keegan Virden were killed in a car accident at the intersection of US Route 51 and Leafland Ave. on the way to lift weights at their high school. Two other boys were also in the vehicle.
The highway will be named the Conner-Keegan Memorial Highway. The part of the road that has been selected to highlight is North 2600 East Road, from Assumption to the Shelby-Macon County line.
“Conner and Keegan touched a lot of lives in their community and are deeply missed by so many,” said Senator Steve McClure (R-Springfield). “My hope is that this will honor their memories in a way that will make their family and friends proud.”
‘It’s been emotional’: One year since deadly Assumption crash
The joint resolution passed the Illinois Senate last year, and the House of Representatives earlier this month.
“I am gratified by the support we received for remembering these two fine young men who were taken from us far too soon; and I hope the memorial will bring some small comfort to the community,” Representative Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) said.
The Illinois Department of Transportation currently has no update on when the signs will be put up.
IDOT has also completed a traffic study at the intersection where Rowcliffe and Virden were killed and is scheduled to meet to discuss long-term solutions for the intersection this spring.
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