Trustees Consider Fine Hikes for Drivers Disregarding Bridge Clearances

Current village fines range from $200-$500 for first-time offenses and anywhere from $500-$1,000 for each subsequent offense.

Posted by Carisa Giardino (Editor), October 23, 2012 at 07:33 am

In April 2010, a male 28-year-old from Jackson Heights was operating a truck southbound on Nassau Boulevard and came in collision with the Nassau Boulevard train trestle. (Credit: GCPD)

In light of the most recent accident involving a tractor trailer slamming into an LIRR bridge overpass in Garden City, trustee Brian Daughney suggested increasing the fines issued when truck drivers disregard the bridge clearance signs.

Current village fines range from $200-$500 for first-time offenses and anywhere from $500-$1,000 for each subsequent offense.

The average amount of time police remain on scene depends on the severity of the accident, police commissioner Kenneth Jackson said.

Commissioner Jackson told Patch that since January 2010 eight trucks hit the Cherry Valley bridge; 14 hit the Chestnut Street bridge; and six hit the Nassau Boulevard (near Merillon Avenue) bridge.

With regards to the most recent hit, a tractor trailer from Hackensack, NJ slammed into the Merillon Avenue overpass and diverted all northbound traffic via Somerset Avenue for approximately an hour.

Police were on scene for approximately four hours, commissioner Jackson said.
"This one took a little time," he said, because officials had to wait for MTA police to respond because there was fascia damage.

Trustee Dennis Donnelly, who agrees with trustee Daughney, asked Jackson whether train traffic was halted during the bridge inspection.

"I believe it did," Jackson said.

"So it's not just us being inconvenienced," Donnelly said.

Do you agree? Should the village raise the fine amount? Let us know in the comments.

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