By Dan Murphy
A growing problem on the Westchester parkways over the years has been the 18-wheel truck, whose driver isn’t experienced enough to realize that they shouldn’t be on some of the older county parkways like the Hutchinson, Saw Mill and Bronx River parkways. By the time they understand, usually it’s too late and they have hit an overpass, causing damage to county bridges and roads and causing long delays for drivers.
Westchester County Executive George Latimer is attempting to fix this problem, which was always addressed by prior administrations and by other state elected officials immediately after the latest accident, but never attempted to be resolved. Kudos to Latimer for not only addressing the issue, but attempting to resolve it.
Bridge strikes were the topic at a meeting at County Executive George Latimer’s office. Latimer pulled together officials from Scarsdale, Mamaroneck, Rye Brook and Rye, along with the New York State Department of Transportation, state elected officials, and the Trucking Association of New York to work together to find ways to stop bridge strikes on the Hutchison River Parkway and other parkways in Westchester County.
Latimer said: “This is a problem and it is going to stop. We are going to make every effort we can to try to end this. This is a solvable problem. If government can’t solve this problem, then government can’t do anything. And, I confidently believe that rational people working together can make a difference.”
After the meeting, Latimer said there isn’t going to be one solution, but many. Among them:
1 – NYSDOT agreed to do an immediate assessment of dramatic signage prior to the King Street Bridge on the Hutchison River Parkway
2 – The Trucking Association of New York will work with the County Executive’s Office to establish an education program for users of all parkways that would explain the county’s parkway system
3 – Outreach to mapping companies, like Google Maps and Waze, to update their software to add in warnings for trucks and other commercial vehicles
4 – Westchester County Police will gather a breakdown of the statistics on the bridge strikes, and the NYSDOT will also share the data they have collected.
5 – Evaluate the location where the “head banger” system could be tested. Head banger systems are placed on entrance ramps near overpasses, and if a truck hits one, a signal will be set off telling the truck driver not to proceed.
6 – Review of bridge strikes on the Bronx River Parkway
7 – NYSDOT will alert local police in real time, along with County Police, of trucks entering the parkway
Latimer said: “I am confident we can execute these strategies relatively quickly, and we will monitor the success we have.”
The next meeting is set for the fall.
