
New York State Thruway Reports Massive Number of Bridge Strikes
The New York State Thruway Authority has announced the results of a statewide commercial vehicle enforcement campaign including the three bridges that have been hit the most.
New York drivers who spend a lot of time on the roads are well aware that over the last few years, the number of times they have been stuck in traffic because an oversized truck slammed into an overpass has increased significantly. In the last year, it seemed like at least 3 or 4 times a month there was another report of a tractor-trailer hitting an overpass or bridge because it was too tall to fit underneath it.
200+ Bridge Strikes on New York State Thruway
According to a press release from the New York State Thruway Authority (NYSTA), there have been 231 bridge hits reported on the New York State Thruway’s 570-mile system since 2020. That includes the 56 reported bridge strikes that occurred in 2024 alone.
SEE ALSO: New York State Thruway Going Toll-Free At Night?
As the number of bridge strikes climbed year after year, the NYSTA announced that it had begun a statewide commercial vehicle enforcement campaign on the Thruway system, designed to reduce bridge strikes caused by overheight vehicles and make it safer for all vehicles.
Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Campaign
The campaign, which was conducted in partnership with the New York State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit (CVEU) in October, November, and December included 30 enforcement details. Each detail was held in various regions along the Thruway and resulted in law enforcement issuing 7,301 violations including 31 for overheight vehicles. Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank G. Hoare explained the need for enforcement campaigns like this saying,
"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. 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."
Which Bridges Get Hit the Most on the New York State Thruway?
Since 2020, the NYSTA reports that three bridges on the NYS Thruway have been hit the most including the Middle Black Brook Road at milepost 318.57 over I-90 in Seneca County, NY. It has been hit 31 times and 16 times since 2023. The North Grand Island Bridge Northbound on I-190 over the Niagara Scenic Parkway in Niagara County, NY has been hit 23 times including 8 hits in 2024. South Broadway over I-87 at milepost 16.44 in Rockland County, NY has been hit 14 times with three hits to date in 2024.
The maximum height limit on the Thruway is 13 feet, 6 inches.
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Gallery Credit: CJ
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