60-Mile Bridge-Strikes Unfold as Oversized Load Goes Unchecked on NY Thruway

A tractor-trailer hauling an over-height excavator struck more than a dozen New York Thruway overpasses across about 60 miles (Exits 30–36) on March 18, 2026. The driver, Oleksander Tarakanovskyi, apparently didn’t realize the damage until state police stopped him at the Mattydale tandem lot; he was charged with second-degree reckless endangerment and issued over 20 traffic tickets. The incident underscores the ongoing bridge-strike risk and the need for height checks, permits, escorts, and route planning to prevent such damage before a bridge is hit.