Commercial trucks using Onondaga Lake Parkway face $5,000 fine under Cuomo proposal - syracuse.com

Syracuse, N.Y. – Commercial truck drivers that end up on Onondaga Lake Parkway could face fines of $5,000 or more, according to a proposal from Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Currently, commercial drivers that use the parkway face a fine of $200 to $500, according to the state’s Department of Transportation.

Under the proposal, that fine would jump to $5,000 for the first offense and $7,500 for the second offense. The fines would be a traffic violation, according to the DOT.

Already, all commercial trucks are banned from the parkway. That’s because a low-height bridge with a clearance of 10 feet, 9 inches spans the parkway.

Yet more than 900 trucks entered the roadway and set off warnings last year. A decade ago, a commercial bus hit the bridge and four people died. Trucks have hit the bridge seven times from 2016 to 2018.

"Bridge strikes -- at best -- create unacceptable and costly traffic problems with real economic consequences and -- at worst -- are a public safety hazard that put the lives of motorists and passengers alike at risk,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said today. “With these new tougher penalties, we are continuing our aggressive action to reduce the frequency of these crashes and improve the safety and reliability of our roadways.”

The state is proposing to reduce lanes on Onondaga Lake Parkway to cut down on the number of fatal crashes along the roadway. Scott Schild | sschild@syracuse.com

The proposal is a part of the governor’s $178 billion budget, which state lawmakers are now considering in Albany. The idea is to increase penalties for trucks that are too big or too heavy to use certain roads throughout the state.

There is no weight restriction on Onondaga Lake Parkway, a two-mile commuter route along the lake that connects the north end of Syracuse to the village of Liverpool. On some other restricted roadways in the state, usage is also banned by truck height. On Onondaga Lake Parkway, there is a commercial truck ban, regardless of height.

The proposal comes as the state is embarking on a major change to Onondaga Lake Parkway. The DOT wants to decrease the number of lanes on a portion of the parkway from four to two. That change, officials have said, is more about decreasing the number of head-on collisions and other serious accidents, and less about dealing with the low-clearance bridge.

Lawmakers must still approve the changes. That vote would likely be a part of approving the overall budget. That is expected to happen before April 1.

Here are the current fines and penalties for over-height vehicles on certain restricted roads and for commercial trucks using Onondaga Lake Parkway:

• First violation - $200 to $500 and/or 30 days in jail
• Second violation - $500 to $1,000 and/or 60 days in jail

Here is what the governor is proposing for trucks that are too tall on restricted roads and for all commercial trucks on Onondaga Lake Parkway:

• First offense - $5,000 and/or 30 days in jail
• Second offense - $7,500 and/or 60 days in jail

The proposal would also increase penalties for overweight trucks on restricted roads. Here’s a breakdown for the current penalties for overweight vehicles weighing less than 26,000 pounds on restricted roads:

• First violation - $250 and/or 15 days in jail
• Second violation - $500 and/or 45 days in jail
• Third violation - $750 and/or 90 days in jail

Here are the current penalties for overweight vehicles weighing more than 26,000 pounds on restricted roads:

• First violation - $350 and/or 15 days in jail
• Second violation within 18 months - $700 and/or 45 days in jail
• Third or subsequent violation within 18 months - $1,000 and/or 90 days in jail

The proposed law would establish three weight classes. The proposed penalties are:

For trucks weighing less than 10,000 pounds on restricted roads

• First violation - $250 and/or 15 days in jail
• Second violation within 18 months - $500 and/or 45 days in jail
• Third violation within 18 months - $750 and/or 90 days in jail

For trucks weighing between 10,000 and 26,000 pounds on restricted roads

• First violation - $1,000 and/or 15 days in jail
• Second violation within 18 months - $1,500 and/or 45 days in jail
• Third violation within 18 months - $2,500 and/or 90 days

For trucks weighing more than 26,000 pounds on restricted roads

• First violation - $5,000 and/or 15 days in jail
• Second violation within 18 months - $7,500 and/or 45 days in jail
• Third violation within 18 months - $10,000 and/or 90 days in jail

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Commercial trucks using Onondaga Lake Parkway face $5,000 fine under Cuomo proposal - syracuse.com
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