BILL NUMBER: S5530

SPONSOR: RYAN C
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to requiring
the department of transportation to provide a list of legal clearance
heights for bridges to certain drivers

 
PURPOSE:

The purpose of this bill is to require the Department of Transportation
(DOT) to furnish a list of legal clearance heights for bridges and
elevated structures to certain truck drivers.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of this bill would require DOT to furnish a list of legal
clearance heights for bridges and elevated structures to certain truck
drivers. Section 2 of this bill provides that the effective date shall
take effect June 1, 2026.

              

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The Onondaga Lake Parkway bridge is a rail bridge with a 10'9" clearance
that passes over State Route 370 in Salina. Due to its low clearance
height, trucks and other large vehicles have collided with the bridge
since the 1950s. Since 2020, there have been an average of nine bridge
strikes every year, resulting from trucks that are too tall to pass
under the bridge. More recently, in March 2023, three trucks struck the
Onondaga Lake Parkway bridge within a timespan of just twelve days.
These incidents cause hundreds of accidents, accounting for tens of
thousands of dollars lost, stranded motorists, and fatal injuries.
Unfortunately, there are likely to be more bridge strikes this year.

There are many other bridges across the State that have caused similar
problems for truck drivers and motorists. The main issue is that opera-
tors or owners of large vehicles are not aware of the low height
restrictions on these bridges and elevated structures until such struc-
tures are immediately in the way. Striking a low bridge or elevated
structure causes thousands of dollars of damage, injury, and death.

If the owners and operators of large vehicles had a list of clearance
heights for bridges across the State, they could be more cognizant of
their driving routes and avoid potential collisions. This bill would
require DOT to furnish a list of legal clearance heights for bridges and
elevated structures to certain truck drivers. This would allow drivers
to plan their routes ahead of time and prevent future accidents from
occurring. This would save money for drivers, operators, and local
governments, and time for motorists that are habitually stranded during
bridge accidents. Most importantly, this would prevent injuries and
deaths from occurring due to low-bridge collisions.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2023-2024: Amended & died in Transportation Committee.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect June 1, 2026.