Why Is the Mid Hudson Bridge Turning Yellow?

You may have noticed something different about the steel on the Mid Hudson Bridge this week. A new, yellowish hue has taken over the span's iconic look.

It turns out that the color change has a much deeper meaning.

Why Is the Mid Hudson Bridge Yellow?

On Tuesday, Governor Kathy Hochul has ordered sixteen landmarks across New York State, including the Mid Hudson Bridge, the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, Niagara Falls and One World Trade Center, to illuminate yellow to acknowledge International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

The display honors the six million Jews murdered by the Nazi regime and acknowledges the countless families and communities forever changed by the Holocaust. The governor said the lights are a reminder to stand up to hate, heal division and confront antisemitism wherever it appears.

A Day of Remembrance

International Holocaust Remembrance Day is observed every year on January 27, the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. It serves as both a memorial and an important reminder. As survivors grow older and firsthand testimonies become rarer, public remembrance has become more important.

New York is home to one of the largest Jewish populations in the country. Many families here in the Hudson Valley have personal ties to the horrors of the Holocaust. State leaders say the yellow illumination represents unity with those communities and a shared promise to remember the past while protecting the future.

A Statewide Show of Solidarity

Aside from the Mid-Hudson Bridge, some of the state’s most iconic locations are also participating in the tribute. Landmarks from Albany to New York City will shine yellow, creating a visual reminder stretching across hundreds of miles.

While the display lasts only one night, officials say it's meant to be a long-lasting message against hatred, speaking up for those targeted by bigotry and ensuring New Yorkers never forget the lessons of the Holocaust.