The Governor signed a measure on Tuesday (July 2) that will rename a bridge and a portion of Interstate 376 as lasting memorials to two Beaver County men, according to Senator Elder Vogel and Representative Josh Kail.
House Bill 65, an omnibus road and bridge renaming bill signed into law as Act xx, designates the I-376 Bridge over the Ohio River as the “USAF Combat Controller Staff Sgt. Dylan Elchin Memorial Bridge” and the section of I-376 from the bridge to the Route 51 exit as the “Richard L. Shaw Memorial Highway.”
SSgt. Elchin was deployed in Afghanistan as a Joint Terminal Attack Controller with the 26th Special Tactics Squadron when he was killed in the line of duty on November 27, 2018.
He was awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal with valor, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Air Force Combat Action Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the NATO Medal in recognition of his service.
“This recognition of Sergeant Elchin’s sacrifice was a top priority for our local veterans’ organizations. I am pleased that my colleagues approved renaming this bridge in recognition of his honorable service to our nation,” Senator Vogel said. “This bridge should serve as a lasting reminder of the dedication and fidelity of this local hero.”
Shaw, who passed away on Dec. 29, 2018, was a World War II veteran and a leading force in the designation of Route 60 as Interstate 376, which sparked significant economic development in Beaver County.
Shaw also served as a board of directors’ member for both the Beaver County Corporation for Economic Development and the New Brighton Area School Board. He donated his time to the Brighton Center for Youth, the United Way of Beaver County, the Salvation Army, the Allegheny County Airport Authority, the American Red Cross, the Boy Scouts of America and many other civic and economic organizations.
“Mr. Shaw played an instrumental role in preparing our local infrastructure, which paved the way for the Shell petrochemical facility,” Kail said. “He dedicated over 60 years of his life to supporting and expanding the local business and civic communities and his legacy is one of genuine care, commitment and humble generosity. By dedicating this section of Interstate 376 in his honor, Mr. Shaw will be remembered by our community each time they pass through the area.”
Contact: Charlie O’Neill coneill@pasen.gov (717) 787-3076