New York state is naming its newest bridge after the late Gov. Mario Cuomo.

The former governor's son, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, on Thursday signed into law a bill naming the new Tappan Zee Bridge the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge.

The elder Cuomo was a Democrat who served as governor from 1983 to 1994 and was often mentioned as a possible White House contender.

Andrew Cuomo, also a Democrat, says his father supported naming big structures after past leaders, but would have been very uncomfortable with the honor being bestowed on himself.

The current governor pushed to build the new bridge to replace the current, aging Hudson River crossing, formally named the Gov. Malcolm Wilson Tappan Zee Bridge.

The $4 billion span is set to open later this year.

As News 12 reported, many Hudson Valley residents thought the bridge should be named after 9/11 victims, a veterans group, or just someone with ties to area.