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SI Intersection to be Renamed After MTA Officer Who Died in Verrazano Crash

By Nicholas Rizzi | August 11, 2015 1:36pm
 The city will rename the intersection of Major Avenue and Lily Pond Road, Officer Thomas Choi Avenue, after the Bridge and Tunnel officer who died after he was hit by a car while reopening the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.
The city will rename the intersection of Major Avenue and Lily Pond Road, Officer Thomas Choi Avenue, after the Bridge and Tunnel officer who died after he was hit by a car while reopening the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.
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MTA and Flickr/bobistraveling

STATEN ISLAND — The city will rename an Arrochar intersection after the Bridge and Tunnel Authority officer Thomas Choi, who died after he was struck by a car while reopening the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.

Mayor Bill de Blasio approved City Council legislation to rename the intersection of Major Avenue and Lily Pond Road to Officer Thomas Choi Avenue.

Choi, 62, of Staten Island, was removing traffic barrels to reopen the Brooklyn-bound side of the bridge on Oct. 20, 2013, when a driver struck him, the MTA said.

He never regained consciousness and died on Dec. 29, 2014 at Staten Island University Hospital.

Choi, an 11-year veteran, was the first Bridge and Tunnel officer to die in the line of duty since the authority started 82 years ago, the MTA said.

Aside from Choi, the mayor also approved six other intersections to be renamed on Staten Island, including one named after the former president and CEO of the Staten Island Museum, Elizabeth Egbert, who died last year after a battle with bone marrow cancer.

The southeast corner of Richmond Terrace and Snug Harbor Road will become Elizabeth Egbert Way after the artist, sculptor and community activist who lead the museum for 12 years until she died in September at age 69.

The other intersections approved to be renamed include:

► Richmond and Arthur Kill roads will be renamed Dr. Mary Efron Way, after a dentist who volunteered for several groups around the borough and died in 2013 at 55.

► New Dorp Lane and Cloister Place will be renamed Mrs. Rosemary Way after longtime Staten Island dance instructor Rosemary Cappozalo, 69, who died in 2009.

► Forest Avenue and Harbor Road will be renamed Dominick "Dom" Lambert Way after longtime Community Board 1 member who died in 2011 at age 93.

► Myrtle Avenue and Clove Road will be renamed Art Hall Way, a running legend who finished in the top five of the NYC Marathon five times. Hall died in 2011 at age 69.

► Henderson and Campbell avenues will become Wayne "Chops" Derrick Way, after the former custodian at P.S. 18 who coached and sponsored various sports teams and leagues around Staten Island. Derrick died in 2014 at age 74.

“This fall, we will honor the memories of Wayne “Chops” Derrick, Elizabeth Egbert, Art Hall and Dominick 'Dom' Lambert, four Staten Islanders who had tremendous impact in their community via education, sports, the arts and community service," Councilwoman Debi Rose said in a statement.

"Our upcoming street co-namings in their honor will ensure that future generations of Staten Islanders will always remember their contributions."