Onondaga Lake Parkway - Syracuse, NY

[Michael]

Commercial traffic ban on Parkway could lead to increased traffic elsewhere

Last year, a Megabus driver heading from Philadelphia to Toronto was using a GPS which told him to use the Onondaga Lake Parkway (NY 370).  The only problem was that there is a 10' 9" bridge on the parkway. (Original article, which I never did post...)

I agree with many comments about having an overhead barrier installed.  NYSDOT is planning on installing an infrared detection system.  They've already added "LOW BRIDGE AHEAD" text on the pavement.  I'd think that the obnoxiously huge orange strip on the bridge itself would be obvious:


Credit: Doug Kerr's Flickr

[amroad17]

I believe there are LOW CLEARANCE warning signs at each end of the parkway with signs telling one to take Old Liverpool Road to go around this (from what I remember from a few years ago). 

This has been a problem since the late 1960's when this road was built.

[vdeane]

Maybe it would just be better to dig a 4' deep ditch under the bridge?  In any case, applying the commercial vehicle ban to pickup trucks is ludicrous.  What were they thinking?

[Dr Frankenstein]

Regarding the Megabus incident: Another consequence of clueless faith into GPS devices. READ. THE. FREAKING. SIGNS. DAMMIT.

I assume that the trained driver of a double-decker bus must know the exact height of their vehicle? Looking at GSV, I've rarely seen so many low clearance signs by the mile.

Regarding the ditch... I assume this is a possible fighting point between the DOT and CSX. Raise the bridge or dig a trench? Who pays? The trench seems more practical as trains cannot climb slopes over 2%.

[empirestate]

Maybe it would just be better to dig a 4' deep ditch under the bridge?  In any case, applying the commercial vehicle ban to pickup trucks is ludicrous.  What were they thinking?

They were thinking that vehicles being used for business purposes shouldn't be using roads meant for pleasure travel, and at first it probably wasn't foreseen that pickup trucks would get much personal use.

[machias]

I believe the water table is too high for a trench.  There used to be bells back in the 80s. I don't know why they took them out.

[Alps]

Maybe it would just be better to dig a 4' deep ditch under the bridge?  In any case, applying the commercial vehicle ban to pickup trucks is ludicrous.  What were they thinking?

They were thinking that vehicles being used for business purposes shouldn't be using roads meant for pleasure travel, and at first it probably wasn't foreseen that pickup trucks would get much personal use.

The same ban is in place on NYC parkways, Merritt and Wilbur Cross in CT, etc. Garden State Parkway does it differently - no vehicles over 5 tons. I would have just said no vehicles over 10 feet rather than ban all commercial traffic - Onondaga Lake Pkwy. isn't much of a parkway.