Somers, NY – New York State Senator Pete Harckham and Assemblyman Matt Slater announced today that a portion of State Route 35 in Westchester County has officially been designated as the “Purple Heart Highway” in honor of the county’s Purple Heart recipients.

The designation was made possible through legislation (S.6930B / A.8237) sponsored by Harckham and Slater. Signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul last year, the legislation amends the state’s Highway Law to designate the section of Route 35 beginning at its intersection with State Route 202 and extending eastward to its intersection with State Route 100 as the “Purple Heart Highway” dedicated to Westchester’s Purple Heart medal recipients.

This stretch of the Route 35 roadway was chosen for its proximity to Lasdon Public Gardens (LPG) and Veterans Memorial, home of the Trail of Honor, making it a fitting location to pay tribute to the brave service members who were wounded or killed in combat while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.

“This is extremely important because the folks who received the Purple Heart are the ones who literally shed blood for our freedom,” said Harckham. “Dedicating this section of Route 35 to Westchester’s Purple Heart recipients is a meaningful way to recognize these service members who have been awarded one of the highest honors in our nation’s military. I thank Assemblyman Matt Slater for his partnership in making this tribute possible, as well as the members of Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter 21 in Yorktown Heights for their advocacy for this roadway designation.”

“There are few honors more sacred than the Purple Heart, a symbol of the immense sacrifice made by our nation’s heroes,” said Slater. “This dedication assures that Westchester’s Purple Heart recipients are forever remembered. I’m proud to have sponsored this legislation in the Assembly and thank Sen. Harckham for championing it in the Senate.”

Eugene Lang, a Somers resident, Purple Heart recipient, and member of Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter 21, said, “I would like to thank Senator Pete Harckham and Assemblyman Matt Slater for their persistence in getting this legislation signed into law. Members of Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter 21 will be honored to see a portion of Route 35 named in recognition of the brave men and women who have received the Purple Heart.”

The strong advocacy from Lang and the members of Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter 21 in Yorktown Heights for the Purple Heart Highway designation was a chief factor in moving the initiative forward, the two state lawmakers said.

Harckham and Slater held the unveiling ceremony this morning alongside Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins, County Legislator Erika Pierce, Somers Town Supervisor Rob Scorrano and local veterans. Video of the ceremony can be found here.

Ken Jenkins said, “I want to recognize the hard work that was done by Senator Harckham and Assemblymember Slater working together to make sure that the Westchester County Purple Heart Memorial Highway was completed, and certainly to Eugene Lange for his advocacy. We have to continue to say that ‘freedom is not free,’ and this dedication helps provide the proper recognition to the heroes in our community who have shed blood for our country.”

Erika Pierce said, “I want to express my incredible gratitude to everyone who has worked on this project, and to all our veterans. As we know in our communities, our veterans are folks who continue to give. The mission doesn’t end, they come back from service and find ways to serve again and again, whether through initiatives like this, or at our firehouses or in any other aspect of our community life.”

Somers Town Supervisor Robert Scorrano said, “Somers is deeply honored to have a portion of Route 35 designated as the New York State Purple Heart Trail in recognition of Westchester County’s Purple Heart veterans. Thanks to the leadership of Senator Harckham and Assemblyman Slater, this tribute ensures that the courage and sacrifice of these heroes will always be remembered here in our community.”

Westchester County Director of Veteran Services Joshua Gaccione said, “This dedication is a fitting tribute to the brave veterans of Westchester County who have received one of our nation’s highest military honors. I thank Senator Harckham and Assemblyman Slater for their leadership and efforts to make this special dedication honoring our Purple Heart veterans a reality.”