New York Assembly Bill A05184

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/12/25
• Refer: 2/12/25
• Refer: 1/7/26

Caption

Requires the department of transportation to determine which entrances to parkways in the state are most frequently accessed by oversized commercial vehicles and to install certain barriers to prevent such vehicles from accessing such entrances.

Summary

This bill directs the New York State Department of Transportation to study parkway entrances statewide and identify which ones are most frequently used by oversized commercial motor vehicles. Within 120 days of enactment, DOT must make that determination, and within one year after that, it must install physical barriers at the identified entrances to prevent or hinder commercial vehicles from entering parkways where bridge clearances are too low for them. The bill is aimed at reducing incidents in which tall commercial vehicles become stuck or cause damage on parkways designed for passenger vehicles. It also authorizes DOT to request relevant information from other state agencies and public authorities to complete the study, with confidentiality rules preserved where applicable. The measure defines the covered vehicles by reference to the Vehicle and Traffic Law and limits the requirement to vehicles that exceed the clearance of bridges on special parkways.

Impact

If enacted, the bill would impose a new planning and infrastructure mandate on the Department of Transportation, requiring it to collect data, identify high-risk parkway entrances, and install physical deterrents such as barriers. It would not change the underlying vehicle definitions in the Vehicle and Traffic Law, but it would create a new operational duty for DOT and potentially affect parkway access for commercial trucking, freight carriers, and other oversized vehicles. The bill could also lead to coordination among state agencies and public authorities that hold traffic or roadway data.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes, the measure appears to be a straightforward safety proposal with an implied public-safety rationale. The overall sentiment is likely favorable toward preventing truck strikes, roadway damage, and traffic disruptions on parkways. No formal opposition is documented in the provided materials, but the bill’s practical effects on commercial vehicle access suggest that trucking and logistics interests could be attentive to implementation details.

Contention

The main point of potential contention is the balance between roadway safety and commercial access. Supporters are likely to emphasize preventing oversized trucks from entering low-clearance parkways and reducing crashes, delays, and infrastructure damage. Any concerns would likely come from freight and delivery interests, or from agencies responsible for roadway design and maintenance, over the cost, feasibility, and placement of barriers, as well as whether the study and installation timeline is practical. Because the bill requires DOT to act on a statewide basis, questions could also arise about which entrances qualify as the most frequently accessed and how barriers would affect local traffic patterns.