An effort by some residents in New York to rename the Champlain Bridge in honor of two fallen police officers is stirring some controversy.
The 80-year-old bridge, named after explorer Samuel de Champlain, was demolished in 2009 after inspectors said it was unsafe. It is currently being rebuilt.
Now the New York State Department of Transportation says it has received a letter requesting the bridge be renamed after two state troopers, both of whom died while on duty.
New York Assemblywoman Teresa Sayward, R-Willsboro, heads the Lake Champlain Bridge Public Advisory Committee. Sayward doesn’t like the idea of changing the name of the bridge because she says it could be detrimental to tourism.
"We live in an area all along the Hudson and Lake Champlain, and we have a lot of military history," Sayward said. "We attract a lot of tourists. The majority of people that I’ve heard from support leaving the bridge named Champlain."
Officially renaming the bridge that stretches between Crown Point, N.Y., and West Addison, would require approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
What do you think? Should the bridge be renamed? If so, what should that name be? Let us know in the comments section below.