BILL NUMBER:  S4422A

 TITLE OF BILL :

An act to amend the highway law, in relation to designating a portion
of the state highway system in Kings county as the "Brooklyn Veterans
Memorial Highway"

 PURPOSE :

This bill honors the legacy of the many brave men and women from Kings
County who have served this country at home and abroad. It also pays
respect to the historic United States Military presence in the Borough
of Brooklyn which includes both Fort Hamilton and once included the
Brooklyn Navy Yard.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

Section 1 of this bill adds a new section 344-e to the Highway Law.
This new section designates the portion of Interstate 278 in Kings
County as the "Brooklyn Veterans Memorial Highway."

Section 2 provides that the Commissioner of the State Department of
Transportation shall provide for appropriate signage and maintenance
thereof, and that any designation reflected in the signage shall be
purely ceremonial so as to avoid confusion and disruption of commerce.
              

Section 3 states that this act shall take effect on the thirtieth day
after it shall have become a law.

 JUSTIFICATION :

Fort Hamilton is currently the only active military installation in
the City of New York. This area has a rich history. In the American
Revolution and the War of 1812, coastal defense in the southwestern
corner of Brooklyn proved instrumental to the war efforts against the
British Navy. The fort served as the nation's first National Guard
training camp and later contributed to the military careers of
Generals Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and Abner Doubleday, as
well as providing troops to quell the draft riots of 1863. Fort
Hamilton currently serves as the headquarters of New York City
Recruiting Battalion, the North Atlantic Division of the Army Corps of
Engineers, and many Army Reserve and New York Army National Guard
Units.

The Brooklyn Navy Yard was a site of construction for one of Robert
Fulton's steamships and not far from a site of construction the
nation's first ironclad ship, the Monitor, and the launch site for the
Maine. It was central to US efforts in World War 2, having benefitted
greatly from the Works Progress Administration, and produced the
battleship Missouri, on board which Japan surrendered in addition to
the nation's first angle-decked aircraft carrier.

Both Fort Hamilton and The Brooklyn Naval Yards are listed on the
National Register of Historic Places. The historic contributions of
Brooklyn to American defenses and military power must be acknowledged
and welcomed. Brooklyn's veterans, as with veterans elsewhere, are
worthy of public recognition and by visitors and residents for the
dedication and sacrifices they have made on behalf of all Americans.
This highway designation would take a step toward recognizing
Brooklyn's service members and their contributions our nation's
values.

 PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

2015: S.4422 - Passed the Senate
 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

The cost of installation and maintenance of adequate signage to the
New York State Department of Transportation.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have
become a law.