Despite a weight limit that’s been on the books for years, a judge says trucks up to 105,000 pounds can continue using New York’s Throgs Neck Bridge for the time being, television station NY1 reported.
The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority went to court trying to enforce the current 80,000-pound limit for the East River Crossing, expressing concerns about an increased number of cracks on the bridge. While the judge decided to allow exceptions to the rule, he said he’d revisit the case on Monday, Oct. 31st.
An 80,000-pound weight limit largely was ignored until engineers concluded in April that more cracks were cropping up on the bridge, which connects the Bronx and Queens. The MTA also has indicated it wants to enforce a similar ban on the adjacent Whitestone Bridge.
Trucking companies have voiced loud opposition, saying the change in the key route to Queens and Long Island would be expensive. They could have to break up their loads into smaller trucks, which they say could lead to more congestion, according to NY1.
