What's happening
This bill designates a bridge in Buffalo, NY as the "Fallen Skywalkers Memorial Bridge" in honor of its namesake.
Why it matters
Honors local or fallen individuals or groups. Memorializing the bridge as the "Fallen Skywalkers Memorial Bridge" creates a lasting public tribute, which can raise awareness about the group or event being honored and foster a sense of community remembrance.
Preserves original bridge name for navigation and commerce. By specifying that the designation is ceremonial and does not officially rename the bridge, the bill avoids confusion for emergency services, businesses, and travelers who rely on consistent infrastructure naming.
Requires state action for signage. The Department of Transportation is directed to install and maintain signs marking the ceremonial designation, ensuring the memorial is visible and recognized without incurring the broader administrative or logistical costs of a formal name change.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Name Bridge for Fallen Workers
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Committed to rules
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.349
- Referred to transportation
- 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 Bridge for Fallen Workers
In Assembly Committee · Transportation · Sponsor Patrick Burke
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
580
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 9, 2019
Introduced by Sens. KENNEDY, GALLIVAN -- 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 establishing the "Fallen Skywalkers Memorial Bridge"
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 343-ddd to read as follows:
§ 343-ddd. Portion of the state highway system to be designated and known as the "Fallen Skywalkers Memorial Bridge". All that portion of the state highway system constituting the bridge on route five which crosses over Fuhrmann boulevard on the south end and spans the Buffalo waterfront until intersecting at the north end with Church street and turns into Delaware avenue in the city of Buffalo in Erie County, shall be designated and known as the "Fallen Skywalkers Memorial Bridge".
§ 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; provided that, to avoid any 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 bridge 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.
LBD03658-01-9
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 establishing the "Fallen Skywalkers Memorial Bridge"
Purpose or general idea of bill
To rename a portion of the state highway constituting the bridge on route five as the "Fallen Skywalkers Memorial Bridge."
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 amends the highway law by adding a new section 343-dd to rename a portion of route five in Buffalo as the "Fallen Skywalkers Memorial Bridge."
Section 2 directs the commissioner of transportation to provide for the installation and maintenance of adequate signing as designated in section 1 of this act.
Section 3 establishes the effective date.
Justification
The elevated section of Route 5, commonly referred to as the Skyway, was constructed in 1955 by a group of ironworkers from across the state, who took on an extremely dangerous job in order to construct the elevated portion necessary so that ships and commerce could still access storage silos and factories along the Buffalo River. Many of these ironworkers were of Native American descent, including members of the Seneca Nation. These ironworkers called themselves the "Skywalkers", due to the requirement that they work at extreme heights to install the steel need- ed for the project.
Three Skywalkers passed away while working were Gatlin White, Daniel Smith, and Mitchell LeClair. Mitchell LeClair, who passed away at the age of 30, left behind his family and a daughter who was born two days after the death of her father. Passing this legislation will help recog- nize the work the Skywalkers performed in constructing this project, and will also honor the Skywalkers who passed away while building the elevated roadway used by so many New Yorkers today.
Prior legislative history
S.5055 of 2017-18: Passed Senate
Fiscal implications
Minimal to the state.
Effective date
Immediately
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.