BILL NUMBER: S6462

SPONSOR: STAVISKY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the highway law, in relation to designating a portion of
the state highway system as the "Port Authority Police Officer Pavlos D.
Pallas Memorial Bridge"

 
PURPOSE:

The purpose of this legislation is to designate a portion of the state
highway system as the Port Authority Police Officer Pavlos D. Pallas
Memorial Bridge."

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1. The highway law is amended by adding a new section 344-o to
read as follows:

Section 344-o. Portion of the state highway system to be designated as
the "Port Authority Police Officer Pavlos D. Pallas Memorial Bridge".
              

All that portion of the state highway system constituting the bridge on
94th Street, between the 82nd Street overpass and the 102nd Street over-
pass, crossing over the Grand Central Parkway in the neighborhood of
Astoria, county of Queens, shall be designated and known as the "Port
Authority Police Officer Pavlos D. Pallas Memorial Bridge".

Section 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 bridge shall not be
changed as a result of this act.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Port Authority Police Officer Pavlos (Paul) Pallas formerly of 24-57
26th Street, East Elmhurst, New York, 11102, passed away on March 14,
2011, at the age of 34. Paul died as a result of cancer that he devel-
oped following his assignment to the search and recovery efforts at the
World Trade Center site following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.  Paul,
originally sworn in as a NYPD officer, spent the majority of his 12-year
career with the Port Authority Police Department. Paul left behind his
beloved wife, Margarita Loukas, and a loving mother and father. Paul's
name is memorialized at the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Wash-
ington, D.C., and the New York State Police Memorial in Albany. The Port
Authority PBA, Paul's former union, seeks to see Paul eternally remem-
bered in his hometown for his service by renaming a portion of the New
York State highway system in his honor.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

The bridge is under the jurisdiction of City and State DOT for oper-
ations and maintenance.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.