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Cedar Street: Another day, another truck

By Howard B. Owens

In the words of the dispatcher, "Cedar Street. The usual -- semi, bridge, ripped open."

Bob Price

I believe he can get a ticket for not obeying a traffic device(sign)....there's also a few bridges in Rochester,Buffalo,and Tonawanda that get a truck stuck about monthly.I believe they can get under the first bridge heading south on Cedar(I don't recall it being posted,which means it is at least 13'6". The other bridge should have those big orange flags on top of sign.Also,+1 on what Doug said......

Dec 9, 2009, 3:26pm Permalink
Mark Janofsky

John,

Black letters on white background signs are regulatory signs. They all carry a fine and maybe some jail time (depending on the severity of the violation). The fine is nothing compared to the points he's going to get on his CDL. Too many points, no CDL, no CDL no job. I'm sure his employer will have a few choice words for him.

It doesn't matter how big the signs are or how many flags are lining the bridge. An inept trucker that doesn't know the size or weight of their rig will do some thing stupid.

Dec 9, 2009, 11:36pm Permalink
Onofrio A. Perzia

I drive down Cedar St. to get to work. I've counted three Semi trailers peeled open by that railroad bridge. I can only guess that these drivers saw the signs which show the heights of both the underpass for the CSX/Amtrak and that infamous trestle as identical 12' 7" clearences. Yesterdays victim traveling south on Cedar St. made it under the first bridge without incident. I wonder if the driver thought "I made it under the first bridge alright so the second bridge should be a cinch". I think those bridges should be remeasured by someone to see if the heights are the same as the signs on Cedar St. indicate. That old trestle is pretty solid and to this day I still see chunks of aluminum resting on the lower ledge of the bridge.

Dec 10, 2009, 2:07am Permalink
Russ Salway

I would think that the city of Batavia and the state both make money off of the trucking companies when this happens. I have seen several trucks a year get stuck under this bridge. If the city and state didn't make money then they probably would mark the bridge much better then they do. Having Oatka milk on Cedar street draws a lot of truck traffic to this area. You have to wonder if and when the street goes under major construction in the next year if they actually make this bridge passable for truck traffic. I would think they can dig out under the bridge and make a gradual grade going down below the bridge. Maybe Howard can look into this and find out ahead of time on what they plan on doing with the construction. I believe part of the problem is that Oatka milk doesnt have a # address. They are listed as the corner of Ellicott and Cedar st. And if a truck driver is using the GPS to find Oatka it may just send them down Cedar st. This problem may even grow when the new Agri-park starts bringing more truck traffic to this area.

Dec 10, 2009, 8:02am Permalink
Bob Price

I still have no idea why that trestle is still standing-no tracks on it,no bike path or anything.They should have "actual height" signs on the bridge-if it's marked 12'3"-means actual clearance should be 13'3". I would like to see the number of drivers that hit the bridge on where they are from.Maybe they see milk trucks go down the street and think they can too.

Dec 10, 2009, 8:49am Permalink
Wayne Speed

As far as I know there are still tracks across that bridge. They continue to behind the fair grounds. Once in awhile the railroad will drop a car or two down there for some reason or another.

Dec 10, 2009, 9:56am Permalink

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