What's happening
This bill designates part of New York State Route 107 as "Billy Joel Boulevard" in Nassau County as a ceremonial name.
Why it matters
Celebrates Billy Joel’s cultural impact. By naming a stretch of Route 107 after Billy Joel, this bill honors the Long Island native’s significant contributions to music and his strong connection to the local community, reinforcing regional pride.
Raises regional visibility. The ceremonial designation can draw attention to Nassau County and Oyster Bay, potentially encouraging tourism and local engagement from Billy Joel fans and cultural enthusiasts.
Clarifies practical effects. The bill specifically ensures that the official name of the highway remains unchanged, preventing confusion for emergency services, postal deliveries, and local businesses—limiting the impact to symbolic recognition rather than logistical disruption.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Rename Road Billy Joel Boulevard
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 7
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to transportation
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Name Route 107 Billy Joel Blvd
In Assembly Committee · Transportation · Sponsor Michael Montesano
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8123
IN SENATE
April 3, 2018
Introduced by Sen. PHILLIPS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the highway law, in relation to designating a portion of the state highway system as "Billy Joel Boulevard"
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The highway law is amended by adding a new section 344-h to read as follows:
§ 344-h. Portion of the state highway system to be designated as "Billy Joel Boulevard". All that portion of the state highway system constituting New York state route 107, also known as North Broadway, beginning at the intersection of the Northern State Parkway in the town of Oyster Bay, county of Nassau and continuing south to its intersection of Lenox Avenue, shall be designated and known as "Billy Joel Boulevard".
§ 2. The commissioner of transportation shall provide for the installation and maintenance of adequate signing of the state highway system as designated pursuant to section one of this act. However, to avoid confusion and to limit any possible disruption of commerce, the designation called for pursuant to section one of this act shall be one of ceremonial nature and the official name of such highway shall not be changed as a result of this act.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06057-03-8
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the highway law, in relation to designating a portion of the state highway system as "Billy Joel Boulevard"
Purpose or general idea of bill
The purpose of this bill is to memorialize a portion of New York state route 107, constituting Route 107, North Broadway from the Northern Stare Parkway to Lenox Avenue as "Billy Joel Boulevard."
Summary of specific provisions
Section one of the bill adds a new section 344-c to the Highway Law, which states that a portion of the state highway system will be desig- nated as "Billy Joel Boulevard."
Section two states that the commissioner of transportation shall provide further installation and maintenance of adequate signing of the state highway system as designated by section one of this act.
Section three sets an immediate effective date.
Justification
Six time Grammy award winning pianist, singer-songwriter and composer, Billy Joel is a native of Hicksville, located in the town of Oyster Bay. Since the release of his first hit song, "Piano Man" in 1973, he has achieved 33 Top 40 hits in the United States, been nominated for 23 Grammy Awards, and sold over 150 million records. Even after all his success, he still supports his hometown community. In 2010 he opened a motorcycle shop in downtown Oyster Bay, which gave a boost to the local economy, and he has given his time to help raise money and awareness for local causes, such as the North Oyster Bay Baymen's Association and Friends of the Bay, as well as the annual Oyster Bay Harbor Cleanup Day. He also played at a benefit to support victims of Superstorm Sandy. In honor of his many achievements and contributions to the community, this bill seeks to designate a section of state route 107 in the town of Oyster Bay as "Billy Joel Boulevard".
Prior legislative history
This is a new bill.
Fiscal implications
Minimal.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.