LIE overpass renaming honors late NYPD detective

The Halsey Manor Road overpass of the Long Island Expressway in the Brookhaven hamlet of Manorville has been renamed the “NYPD Detective Brian P. Simonsen Memorial Bridge” in honor of the fallen officer, who was killed in the line of duty in 2019.

Simonsen, 42, was shot and killed Feb. 12, 2019, by friendly fire after he and six other officers responded to a burglary in progress at a Queens cellphone store. The detective, who was married and lived in Calverton, just east of Manorville on the LIE, had spent his entire 19-year NYPD career with the 102nd Precinct in Central Queens.

“As New Yorkers, it is critical to honor and memorialize the service and sacrifice of our men and women in law enforcement,” State Senator Anthony H. Palumbo, who represents Calverton, said after Governor Kathy Hochul’s signed legislation designating the overpass in memory of Simonsen. “This bridge will stand as a testament of our gratitude to Brian and as a tribute to this extraordinary man.”

 Assembly Member Jodi Giglio, who represents portions of Suffolk County, including both Manorville and Calverton, said the renaming would help ensure Simonsen’s legacy. “Detective Simonsen exemplified the highest standards of courage and dedication. It was only fitting we honor his memory in a way that will be a lasting testament to his contributions to our community,” she said.

Hochul also signed legislation honoring several others with renamings. 

The State Route 12E crossing over the Chaumont River in the Jefferson County village of Chaumont is now the “Michael J. Finerson Memorial Bridge” after the Jefferson County deputy sheriff who was killed in the line of duty in 1970.

The Crooked Hill Road Overpass crossing over the Sagtikos Parkway in Islip was renamed the “Senior Investigator Thomas M. O’Neill Memorial Bridge.” O’Neill died on duty in 2005. 

The County Road 16 crossing I-495 in Brookhaven was renamed the “Medford FD Commissioner Niel Marturiello Memorial Bridge” for the longtime Medford fire official.

The Tuckahoe Road overpass over the Sprain Brook Parkway in Yonkers is now the “Detective Sergeant Frank Gualdino Memorial Bridge.” The officer was killed in a collision at that overpass in 2022.

 And the State Route 34-B crossing over Salmon Creek in Lansing in Tompkins County was renamed the “Peter Wheeler Memorial Bridge.” Wheeler was enslaved in nearby Ludlowville in the early 1800s.

“The legacies of enslaved New Yorkers, law enforcement killed while protecting their communities and lifelong public servants are stories of courage and self-sacrifice,” Hochul said. “By honoring their memories, we forever pay tribute to their lives and to the spirit which defines the best of our state.”

— The Chief