BILL NUMBER: S1761A

SPONSOR: GOLDEN
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the highway law, in relation to desig-
nating a portion of the state highway system in Kings county as the
"Brooklyn Veterans Memorial Highway"

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

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 that includes both Fort Hamilton and once included the
Brooklyn Navy Yard.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of this bill adds a new section 344-h to the Highway Law.
This new section designates a 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 Revo-
lution 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 dedi-
cation 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:

2018: S.1761 - Referred to Transportation
2017: S.1761 - Passed the Senate
2016: S.4422-A - Passed the Senate
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.