Spelling error finally corrected for New York City bridge

NEW YORK — It has taken 54 years, but a spelling of a New York City bridge will finally be corrected.

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The Verrazano-Narrows bridge, which was built in 1964 and connects the boroughs of Brooklyn and Staten Island, is spelled with one "z." However, it should have two, as it was named for Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano, who discovered New York Harbor in 1524, WABC reported.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed legislation from state Sen. Marty Golden (R-Brooklyn) and Assemblyman Michael Cusick (D-Staten Island) that will officially correct the name of the bridge, the New York Daily News reported.

"It is critical that we correct the spelling of this iconic Staten Island landmark,” Cusick told the newspaper.

"The Verrazzano Bridge is a vital transportation artery for millions of Staten Island and Brooklyn residents," Cuomo said at a news conference. "We are correcting this decades-old misspelling out of respect to the legacy of the explorer and to New York's heritage."

A statue of Verrazzano in lower Manhattan includes the two "z's," as does a bridge over Rhode Island's Narragansett Bay, WABC reported.

New York lawmakers said the name change will not cost taxpayers any money, because the bridge's sign was due for an upgrade, the Daily News reported.

Cox Media Group