During the first week of October, the New York State Department
of Transportation (NYS DOT) and Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi’s office held a
presentation for the restored “Veteran’s Memorial Bridge” plaque that the DOT brought
to Hubbell Galvanizing to restore using galvanizing and powder coating.
John DelMonte, a Hubbell Galvanizing employee, explains
that, “the plaque was commissioned in 1981, after an act of Congress gave the
authorization to name the bridge in honor of the local veterans who bravely
served our country.”
Unfortunately, in the last few years the plaque came loose
and was struck by a passing highway snowplow. Since this happened, the local
DOT representatives, in conjunction with Assemblyman Brindisi’s office, began a
campaign to restore the plaque and ended up calling Hubbell Galvanizing and DelMonte
to aid in the restoration process.
Once the plaque was finished, instead of putting the plaque
directly back on the bridge where it originally was, the DOT decided that this
time, the plaque should stand in its own frame a few feet away from the bridge
on the northern side on Burrstone Road in Utica, New York.
So next time you are driving by, be on the lookout for the
newly restored Veteran’s Memorial plaque.
(Above) The old Veteran's Memorial plaque before it was restored
(Above) The newly restored Veteran's Memorial plaque
For more information on galvanizing please go to:
Hubbell Galvanizing (www.whyrust.com)
For more information on powder coating please go to:
Fortress Fusion Coating Inc. (www.whypowder.com)
Photo Credit: John DelMonte
