Senator Defrancisco Urges NYS Dot Commissioner to Modify Ban of Commercial Traffic on Onondaga Lake Parkway

John A. DeFrancisco

October 27, 2011

Transportation

Senator John A. DeFrancisco has requested that New York State Department of Transportation (NYS DOT) Commissioner Joan McDonald ease the restrictions on commercial vehicles and allow smaller vehicles, such as pickup trucks, to continue to use Onondaga Lake Parkway.

After a Mega bus crash in September of 2010 that killed four passengers, the NYS DOT determined that a ban on commercial vehicles should occur and that a laser-beam warning device should be installed to alert drivers about the low bridge. In a letter dated October 5, 2011, and in a phone conversation with Commissioner McDonald, Senator DeFrancisco reiterated his point that commercial vehicles larger than a certain size should be banned, but not all commercial vehicles should be banned.

“The danger sought to be avoided is large vehicles striking a low bridge. To ban all commercial vehicles from the parkway, even those that could not possibly strike the low bridge, such as pick-up trucks, commercial vans and the like is overkill, to put it mildly,” said Senator DeFrancisco.

After two subsequent phone conferences, McDonald said that she would make a decision regarding the ban by early next week.

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