New York Thruway Issues 7,301 Tickets in Q4 CV Crackdown
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A three-month commercial vehicle inspection that ended in December to lower bridge strikes on the 570-mile New York State Thruway netted 7,301 violations, including 31 for overheight vehicles.
“Bridge hits on the Thruway system are a safety issue and can cause considerable damage to our infrastructure, resulting in countless delays for motorists and the diverting of critical resources from highway maintenance and upkeep,” noted Frank Hoare, executive director of the Thruway Authority.
During the fourth quarter, the New York State Thruway conducted a campaign with the state police’s commercial vehicle enforcement unit to improve safety and lower the number of bridge strikes by trucks that are too high to pass.
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Last year, there were 56 reported bridge strikes after a total of 207 from 2020 through 2023. One instance in 2023 occurred when an overheight tractor-trailer hit the South Broadway overpass in South Nyack in Rockland County. This accident caused a 15-hour closure of the southbound lanes of interstates 87 and 287 for workers to remove two damaged girders and stabilize the overpass.
“The law requires drivers to know the height of their vehicle to mitigate these avoidable incidents, and with the increasing number of trucks on the roads, it’s incumbent upon drivers to be vigilant to keep traffic moving,” Hoare noted. “The Thruway Authority is committed to mitigating bridge hits and vigorously pursuing claims from motorists who damage Thruway property and equipment and inconvenience our customers.”
The New York State Thruway cuts under an overpass near Arden, N.Y. (ricardocostaphotography/Getty Images)
The top three bridges on the New York State Thruway that trucks hit the most in the past four years are:
- Seneca County: Middle Black Brook Road Bridge over I-90 — struck 31 times, 16 since 2023.
- Niagara County: Northbound North Grand Island Bridge over the Niagara Scenic Parkway on I-190 — hit 23 times, eight in 2024.
- Rockland County: South Broadway Bridge over I-87— struck 14 times, three last year.
State police issued 7,301 tickets while inspecting 3,767 commercial vehicles. During the inspections, police issued 997 out-of-service violations.
“We will continue to work with our state agency partners to reduce the number of bridge hits, which can result in potential injury for the truck driver and nearby motorists, costly repairs to the bridge itself and substantial traffic disruptions,” noted State Police Superintendent Steven James. “Strong collaboration on education and enforcement is an effective way to raise awareness and improve safety for all.”
A sign in lower Manhattan points drivers toward the Brooklyn Bridge. Trucks are not allowed on the famous New York City span. (edichenphoto/Getty Images)
Many of the 817 bridges managed by the Thruway were built in the 1950s and are outdated by today’s design standards.
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The old bridges are original and built with the minimum vertical clearance required then of 14.2 feet — compared with today’s standards that call for a 16-foot minimum vertical clearance.
The Thruway Authority received a $33 million increase to $477.3 million in its 2025 budget for capital projects compared with the previous year.
“The increased investment will lead to work on approximately 61% of the Thruway’s more than 2,800 pavement lane miles as well as the replacement or rehabilitation of 20% of the Thruway’s 817 bridges,” according to an agency statement.
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