Senator Mannion And Assemblymember Magnarelli Introduce Legislation To Study And Identify Solutions To Eliminate Low Bridge Strikes On The Onondaga Lake Parkway

Senator John W. Mannion and Assemblymember William Magnarelli today announced legislation (S6644) requiring the State Department of Transportation to conduct a study to compile bridge strike data and identify solutions and associated costs to eliminate the ongoing vehicle strikes on the CSX bridge over the Onondaga Lake Parkway.

Senator John W. Mannion said, “While Salina and the CSX bridge are new to my district this year, as a lifelong Central New Yorker the ongoing frustration of repeated vehicle strikes is not. From raising the bridge to lowering the road to adding a turnaround and even more signage and signals – there’s an abundance of ideas on the table, but zero action. This bill will give us the information and input from experts that we need to make informed decisions and take tangible steps to prevent further strikes on this bridge and all low bridges in the state.”

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Senator Mannion has also introduced legislation (S6683) requiring DOT to provide relevant low bridge information to haulers and delivery companies to raise awareness of low bridge locations so drivers can avoid these routes.

In 2010, four people were killed when a bus hit the bridge, just one of hundreds of incidents dating to at least the 1950’s. Vehicle collisions with the low bridge, which crosses over State Route 370, known as the Onondaga Lake Parkway, has caused untold hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage, stranded motorists for long hours, and drained precious emergency response resources.