Hudson Valley Road Renamed; Who Was Steve Nicoli?

This week, a ceremony was held to dedicate a new stretch of highway to a former Hudson Valley resident.

On Monday, politicians and community leaders gathered in Orange County to unveil a new sign that designates a portion of state highway to Steve Nicoli.

The new moniker of Steve Nicoli Highway was given to State Route 747 leading to Stewart International Airport between Route 17K and State Route 207. The designation comes after a bill presented by State Senator Rob Rollison was passed into law. The amendment to the highway law states that the stretch of road would be renamed in Nicoli's honor.

Who Was Steve Nicoli?

Steve Nicoli is well known to many Hudson Valley families who have benefited from his service. But now, thanks to the new sign, everyone driving through Orange County will be reminded of this inspirational Army veteran.

While Nicoli was a dedicated father and step-father and deeply loved by his fiancee, he will be remembered by most of the Hudson Valley for founding the local Honor Flight chapter.

The Honor Flight is a nonprofit organization that transports Hudson Valley veterans to war memorials in Washington DC. The program flies former military service members out of Stewart International Airport at no cost to them. In 2011, Nicoli founded the Hudson Valley chapter of the Honor Flight, which operates over 100 hubs across the country.

Nicoli passed in 2021 at the age of 42 after battling COVID-19. At the time, a fundraiser was launched to help support his 13-year-old son who also lost his mother in 2013.