Senator Mannion Announces Passage of Legislation to Study and Identify Solutions to Eliminate Low Bridge Strikes on the Onondaga Lake Parkway and Low Bridges Across New York State

ALBANY, NY – Senator John W. Mannion (SD-50) today announced passage of his bill to study and identify solutions to the ongoing problem of low bridge strikes on the Onondaga Lake Parkway and low bridges across New York State. The legislation has also passed the Assembly and now goes to the governor to be signed into law.   

The legislation (S6644B) requires the State Department of Transportation to conduct a study to compile bridge strike data and identify solutions and associated costs to prevent future vehicle strikes on the CSX bridge over the Onondaga Lake Parkway.

Senator John W. Mannion said, “New York is an old state and may have the most low bridges in the country. Whether it is raising the bridge, lowering the road, or adding signs and signals that work, we need an informed strategy with an understanding of associated costs if we are going to properly address the ongoing problem of vehicles hitting low bridges - this bill accomplishes those objectives and is a major step forward.”

The primary issue is that many bridges and elevated structures in the state have low height restrictions that are unknown to operators or owners of large vehicles until they are in their immediate sight, which causes strikes to occur. This problem is not unique to the greater Syracuse area. Other bridges in the state have caused similar problems for truck drivers and motorists.

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. 

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