The low railroad bridge of the Onondaga Lake Parkway may undergo future changes as lawmakers aim to reduce so-called “bridge strikes.”
On Thursday, the state Senate passed legislation requiring the State Transportation Department to compile data on the number of vehicles that have hit the bridge and conduct a study to pinpoint solutions and their costs.
Drivers operating larger vehicles are often unaware of the low-hanging bridge until it is too late. Assembly member William Magnarelli, Chair of the Assembly Transportation Committee hopes the bill will prevent future accidents from occurring.
“In light of the continuing issues with the Onondaga Parkway CSX bridge, collisions with bridges and elevated structures need to be studied to gather a better sense of effective preventative measures,” said Magnarelli. “The most effective measures will reduce, if not eliminate, the frequency of crashes, as well as possibly save someone’s life,” according to the NYS Senate’s website.
The bridge runs through the town of Salina, which is represented by Senator John Mannion, a new addition as a result of this year’s redistricting. The bridge has caused multiple incidents and was struck six times this year alone. Mannion understands the ongoing frustration from members of his district.
“The Onondaga Lake Parkway bridge is continuously being hit, and is being hit at a much higher frequency than ever before. A number of years ago, this bridge was hit by a bus and unfortunately, four people died,” said Mannion.
Today we are taking real action to stop low bridge strikes on the Onondaga Lake Parkway
— Senator John W. Mannion (@SenJohnMannion) June 7, 2023
My bill to study and identify solutions and associated costs is on its way to the governor to be signed into law pic.twitter.com/yIXeNX0Rbx
Mannion says there are many ideas as to what the resolution may look like, but no action. He hopes input from experts will help create a lasting solution after a long history of accidents.
“The status quo is simply not working. It's unsafe," Mannion said. "It's untenable and the state government can act and should act. We will help to solve this problem quickly and cost effectively."
Today marks the state Senate's last day in session for 2023. The bill to conduct a safety study on the Parkway bridge next goes to Governor Kathy Hochul, who has 30 days to sign it into law.
