GLENVILLE, N.Y. (NEWS10) — A statewide campaign to reduce bridge strikes is taking place through Nov. 11, 2023. The Town of Glenville is no stranger to bridge strikes and leaders there are still searching for solutions.

Since the installation of signs and flashing lights ahead of the Glenridge Road bridge, Town Supervisor Chris Koetzle said bridge strikes are down, but now they’re hitting another problem: the Maple Avenue bridge.

“I’ve often advocated to close down Maple and Glenridge to truck traffic altogether and make it a truck route, round it,” Koetzle said. “There’s other solutions we can look at but when you get down to it, at the end of the day, it’s an inattentive driver making a human error.”  

The state is now taking action with new legislation, sponsored by Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara, requiring the Department of Transportation to report bridge strikes, repair needs and recommendations so the state legislature can work on solutions.

“It’s not going to be a one-size-fits all or one solution here that is going to solve the problem,” Santabarbara said. “Likely, it will be a number of different legislative or funding solutions that can help resolve this issue.”

Other regulations are being put forward, including a proposed change at the Department of Motor Vehicles where a bridge strike could result in eight points being added to your license.

“It’s tough to say that any of this would be effective but in the end,” Koetzle said. “If eight points on a license and losing your CDL, and maybe your insurance and all of that stuff, it’s warranted because you made such an error on the road.”