There are laws that restrict tractor trailers from parking on service roads for extended periods of time.
Unfortunately, for many truckers that travel through the Bronx on a consistent basis, there is no other options due to a lack of rest stops.
An on-and-off issue in the various Bronx neighborhoods for many years, tractor have used service roads along highways and expressways as rest areas.
This breaks the law stating that ‘tractor trailers cannot be parked on a service road, unless it’s a properly zoned area, for more than three consecutive hours or anytime after dusk,’ much to the complaints of local residents.
Many of these occurrences have been reported taking place on Bruckner Boulevard between Middletown Road and Wilkinson Avenue, Hutchinson River Parkway Service Road near Ferry Point Park off of I-678 and Randall/Lafayette avenues between the Cross Bronx Expressway and I-695, among other locations.
Community leaders and council members have also spoken on the issue, many supporting the passed legislation in 2012 to increase the ticket penalty from $65 to $250 and $500 for repeated offenders.
For tractor trailers making long trips, however, parking on these service roads is inevitable, especially for truckers traveling from Connecticut to New Jersey and vice versa, or further, as the closest rest stop between these two states is off of I-95 in Milford, CT and off of I-287 in Morristown, NJ.
“I drive a truck during the week and when I’m home for the weekend, typically Saturday afternoon to early Monday morning, I park on the street,” said Anthony, a trucker and a Bronx resident who wished to not disclose his full name.
“I see no other option – to pay for parking at a garage or a lot each weekend isn’t affordable. Most tractor trailers that have been seen parked on service roads, I suspect, are taking mandatory breaks and would have to travel almost another two hours in either direction to find a truck rest stop,” he said.
Anthony added that most people are unaware in regards to how much they rely on the trucks that transport the goods that they purchase on a frequent basis and also stated that the best solution to this problem is one that satisfies both sides.
“’Get out of here’ may seem like a good solution to the person who doesn’t want a truck in their neighborhood, but it won’t solve the problem – truckers need a viable solution too,” Anthony said.
