Union Avenue Bridge to be Renamed in Honor of Longtime Legislator
A photo of Bobby D’Andrea (left) with Senator Tedesco at the late Assemblyman’s home.
(Courtesy of Senator Tedisco).
Coming into Saratoga on Union Avenue it’s easy to see the impact of the late former Assemblyman Robert D’Andrea.
Starting at Fish Creek, the road takes residents and visitors from the rural east side of the County and into the heart of downtown Saratoga Springs. It passes by both the quiet retreat of Yaddo and the thrilling spectacle at the Race Course before ending at Congress Park.
But before reaching those key landmarks, visitors traveling on Union Avenue and exiting Interstate 87 north have to cross a small bridge that will now bear the name of the man who represented the area for over 27 years.
The bill to rename the bridge was sponsored in the Senate by Senator Jim Tedico (R,C) and in the Assembly by Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner (D). The bill passed both houses unanimously on June 2 and was signed by the Governor on July 31.
“Assemblyman Bobby D’Andrea was a good friend and an outstanding and dedicated public servant who was always accessible and visible to his constituents and a strong voice for them,” Senator Tedisco said in a statement. “I was proud to have served with Bobby in the Assembly and work to get this bill passed for his family and remember his legacy of service to others.”
Known as ‘Bobby,’ D’Andrea represented Saratoga Springs at the county level as Supervisor for seven years and as an assemblyman for 27. In the that time, he was known for his efforts in environmental conservation and staunch community support.
One of D’Andrea’s most notable was the expansion of New York’s recycling program so called ‘Bottle Bill’ which requires a five-cent deposit on many non-reusable containers in New York. D’Andrea was the sponsor of the bill, whose legacy can be seen on every bottle or can bearing “NY 5¢”
D’Andrea helped clean up the lakes of the state by introducing legislation requiring ice-fisherman to remove structures before the thaw and improving regulations for transporting horses in the state.
On a local level, D’Andrea secured funding for the Saratoga Springs Civic Center and intervened when Saratoga Central Catholic High School — at the time known as St. Peter’s Academy — was set for closure in the 1970s.
Outside of politics, D’Andrea owned the Kaydeross Amusement Park for 30 years. When the park closed, the hand carved carousel was sold to the City of Saratoga Springs where it was restored and placed in Congress Park.
D’Andrea died in the March 2025 at the age of 92.