Assemblyman Joseph Angelino (R,C,I-Norwich) joined Sen. Mike Martucci (R,C,I-Hudson Valley/Catskills), former Assemblyman Clifford Crouch and Town of Colchester Supervisor Arthur Merrill today unveiled the newly named “Colchester Veterans Memorial Bridge.”

“I couldn’t be prouder to see this bridge renamed to honor fallen veterans who gave the ultimate sacrifice,” said Angelino, who is a retired Marine Corps veteran. “These individuals face unimaginable challenges while putting their lives on the line. It is our duty to honor veterans who sacrificed their lives to protect us. I am truly honored to be part of this unveiling.”

Legislation (A.9936-A) passed last year by Crouch designates a portion of the state highway system as the “Colchester Veterans Memorial Bridge” in honor of the fallen veterans who have sacrificed their lives to fulfill their patriotic duty.

"Any day we can honor the service of our brave veterans is a good day," said Martucci. "I thank our colleagues in the Assembly and Senate for supporting and passing this legislation and the good citizens of Colchester for making this request in the first place. The bravery, honor and patriotism of our local veterans will now be on display to greet every single person who crosses this bridge and be a permanent reminder of their service to all of us."

“The people of Colchester have always honored our veterans, and we are thankful for all the sacrifices they have made for our country and freedoms,” said Merrill. “Seeing this bridge being dedicated in their memory is something we in Colchester are proud of. We are thankful to our partners in the Assembly and Senate for coming alongside the town's efforts to make this symbol of respect to all veterans possible.”

Angelino thanked Commander Michael Frisbee for the generous offer to host the bridge dedication event in the safety of the American Legion Post 167 parking lot and the staff at the Department of Transportation for temporarily bringing the sign to the safer location for the ceremony. The event was held off-site, as the bridge itself would be too busy with traffic.