Tedisco, Walsh & Koetzle “Enough is Enough” on Glenridge Road Truck Bridge Strikes in Glenville

As one resident is sent to the hospital from Tuesday’s tractor trailer Glenridge Road bridge strike, Senator Tedisco, Assemblywoman Walsh and Glenville Supervisor Koetzle call for state to act now, exploring new legislation to enable municipalities to seek legal recourse from the state and railroad companies to take action and stop repeated bridge strikes in Glenville  

Another tractor trailer strike at the Glenridge Road rail bridge in Glenville, this time sending a resident to the hospital!

 Senator Jim Tedisco (R,C-Glenville), Assemblywoman Mary Beth Walsh (R,C-Ballston) and Glenville Town Supervisor Chris Koetzle today are saying “enough is enough!” 

Tedisco, Walsh and Koetzle are renewing their repeated calls for the state to make major safety improvements to the area near the Glenrdidge Road Bridge Overpass to prevent this from happening over and over again. Tedisco and Walsh are also exploring new state legislation to enable local municipalities to seek legal recourse from the state and deadbeat railroad companies who refuse to put public safety first and take action to remedy these situations.

Yesterday, a tractor trailer hit the Canadian Pacific Railroad bridge on Glenridge Road in Glenville, sending the driver of a car behind the truck to the hospital with a neck injury after they were forced to slam on their breaks as debris from the truck came through their windshield. While the innocent driver was treated and released, the next time this happens the results could be much worse.

There have been over 100 bridge strikes and turnarounds from trucks that almost got caught in the bridge causing traffic jams in recent years on the state road.  This has cost Glenville taxpayers well over $50,000 for police, fire and highway personnel response.  

“Enough is enough! We have told the state and the railroad over and over these Glenridge Road bridge strikes not only impact our local economy but are a clear and present danger to our residents,” said Senator Jim Tedisco. “Now, our worst fears have been founded with an injury as a result of a truck strike. The next time this happens, it could be a huge chunk of steel from a truck crashing into a car and killing a family.  At this point, it’s undeniable that Governor Cuomo, the New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) and Canadian Pacific Railroad, which owns the bridge, know that the Glenridge Road bridge overpass in Glenville is a road hazard. Clearly, the state and the railroad are derelict in their duties to protect the safety of our constituents. We are now researching and will be supporting and putting forth legislation to provide legal recourse for municipalities like Glenville, when in this case, there is a dereliction of action by the state and railroads that could lead to potential harm and loss of life.”

“Nationally, we are having a conversation about what ‘infrastructure’ includes. Well, there’s no question that this railroad bridge is failing infrastructure, and that corrective action such as raising the height of the bridge, closing the underpass to all truck traffic, requiring commercial GPS to be utilized in every commercial large vehicle --- or a combination of these or other measures --- must be taken immediately,” said Assemblywoman Mary Beth Walsh.

“We have continued to encourage both DOT and CP Rail to rectify this situation. I call on both of them to raise the bridge before there are any more injuries or worse, a death. In the meantime, DOT needs to close the road to truck traffic immediately,” said Glenville Town Supervisor Chris Koetzle. 

Recent Background:

In March 2021, Senator Tedisco and Assemblywoman Walsh wrote a letter to the DOT requesting they implement a truck route that would prevent trucks from using Glenridge Road between Route 146 and the “Glenridge Circle” at the intersection of Maple, Glenridge and Hetcheltown roads. This proposed truck route would begin at Route 146 and 146A; it would proceed down 146 to Aqueduct Road, over to Maxon, then back up Freemans Bridge Rd. All roads involved are exclusively state and county owned roads and would require DOT involvement to coordinate and execute a safe and cost-effective solution.

Tedisco and Walsh also sought the implementation of an electronic detection system near the 146 intersection so that it can adequately warn drivers that there is a low bridge ahead. This technology would be deployed in a location before Blue Barnes Road and Bruce Drive and before the truck enters the Glenridge Road corridor. Beyond these locations, there are no opportunities for the driver to turn around, and therefore this placement would allow for the safest of options.

In 2019, Tedisco and Walsh wrote a letter to the Governor and the DOT to use state funding from the state’s bridge strike prevention fund to add electronic adjustable message signs, bridge lighting, communication improvements to help local law enforcement redirect any potentially problematic vehicles, and an over-height detector similar to those that have been implemented in the Hudson Valley and Long Island.