NYC Truck Routes
Through and Local Routes, Banned Parkways and Where Trucks Hit Bridges
Quick answer
Where can trucks drive in New York City?
Only on NYC DOT's designated truck routes: Through Truck Routes for trucks passing through a borough, Local Truck Routes for trucks with a stop there, leaving the network only at the intersection nearest the stop. The city's parkways are closed to trucks, and that is where 89.9% of the 943 bridge strikes NYC DOT recorded from 2013 to 2025 happened.
Updated October 2026 by the HTS Logistics broker team (FMCSA MC# 1178470).
How the NYC truck route network works
Under 34 RCNY 4-13, a "truck" is any vehicle with two axles and six tires, or three or more axles. The network has two main layers:
- Through Truck Routes: mostly expressways and major arterials, for trucks with no origin or destination in the borough.
- Local Truck Routes: for trucks picking up or delivering in the borough. The truck leaves the network only at the intersection nearest its stop, by the most direct route, and returns the same way.
- Limited Local routes (Staten Island in the current data) carry extra restrictions.
Drivers must carry a bill of lading or similar document showing origin and destination, because that paper is what proves a truck on a local street has a reason to be there. NYC DOT changed parts of the network on October 4, 2026; its website lists the changes, and a new map is expected by the end of 2026.
The network by borough
| Borough | Through (mi) | Local (mi) | Total (mi) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronx | 90.4 | 149.9 | 240.3 |
| Brooklyn | 78.8 | 182.2 | 261 |
| Manhattan | 42.9 | 126.9 | 169.8 |
| Queens | 267.1 | 161.1 | 428.2 |
| Staten Island | 58.3 | 170.3 (+10.9 limited) | 239.5 |
| Citywide | 537.5 | 790.4 | 1338.8 |
Segment miles from NYC DOT's open data (updated March 2, 2026). Divided roads are drawn as two roadbeds and count twice, so use these for borough comparisons, not as official centerline miles.
Parkways and crossings trucks cannot use
NYC DOT and NYSDOT close 12 New York City parkways to commercial vehicles: Belt, Bronx River, Cross Island, FDR Drive, Grand Central, Henry Hudson, Harlem River Drive, Hutchinson River, Jackie Robinson, Korean War Veterans, Mosholu and Pelham. The ban covers every vehicle with commercial plates. The federal bridge inventory counts 74 bridges over New York City roads with less than 12 ft of clearance and 157 under 13 ft 6 in; 73 of those cross roads that are not parkways, so the truck routes are not free of low bridges either.
Crossing limits published in NYC DOT's truck route data (posted signs govern):
| Crossing | Restriction as published |
|---|---|
| East 34 Street | No Through Trucks Between 11:00am and 6:00pm |
| Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge | Upper Rdwy- Height-11'6" Weight-15 Tons |
| George Washington Bridge | Height- UpLevel- 13'6" Width-8'6", No trucks on LowLevel |
| Holland Tunnel | H- 12'6" W- 8'0", Only two and three-axle single-unit trucks allowed, No Flamm/Explosives |
| Hugh L Carey Tunnel | Height- 12'-1", Width- 8'-6", Weight-7.5 Ton |
| Lincoln Tunnel | Height- 13'0" Width- 8'6", No trucks in central tube, No Flammables or Explosives |
| Manhattan Bridge | Height- Up Rdwy-13'4" Low Rdwy-13'8" Weight-36 Ton |
| Queens Midtown Tunnel | Height Limit- 12' 1" Width Limit- 8'-6" Weight-7.5 Tons |
| Robert F Kennedy Bridge | Frm MN- Height-13'-5", Frm RI to QNS- Width- 12'-0" |
| Verrazzano Bridge | Upper Roadway: Height- 15'-0", No Trucks on Lower Lvl |
MTA bridges allow up to 9 ft 6 in wide and its tunnels 8 ft 6 in; anything wider, taller or heavier crosses at night under a permit, and the Henry Hudson Bridge takes no trucks at all. Port Authority crossings require a Port Authority Police escort for every oversize load. The full set of permit rules is in our New York oversize permit guide.
Where trucks hit bridges in New York City
NYC DOT's bridge strike data covers 943 strikes from January 2013 to December 2025. Three numbers explain most of them: 91.4% happened off the designated truck routes, 89.9% on a parkway or drive, and where the driver's license state was recorded, 84.1% were out-of-state drivers. A truck that follows the route network rarely meets these bridges.
| Corridor | Strikes |
|---|---|
| Belt Parkway | 244 |
| Fdr Drive | 167 |
| Hutchinson River Parkway | 146 |
| Cross Island Parkway | 88 |
| Jackie Robinson Parkway | 83 |
| Henry Hudson Parkway | 78 |
| Grand Central Parkway | 20 |
| Brooklyn Queens Expressway | 19 |
| Year | Strikes |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 58 |
| 2014 | 81 |
| 2015 | 80 |
| 2016 | 66 |
| 2017 | 67 |
| 2018 | 73 |
| 2019 | 69 |
| 2020 | 75 |
| 2021 | 108 |
| 2022 | 84 |
| 2023 | 63 |
| 2024 | 62 |
| 2025 | 57 |
The most-struck structure is Westchester Avenue over the Hutchinson River Parkway in the Bronx: 108 strikes in 13 years, at a measured clearance of 11 ft 3 in. By borough, Queens recorded 322, the Bronx 253, Manhattan 181, Brooklyn 179 and Staten Island 8. NYC DOT's counts are a minimum, since strikes it did not record are missing.
Oversize loads in New York City
- Legal limits on city streets are tighter than the state's: 8 ft wide (not 8 ft 6 in), 13 ft 6 in high, 35 ft for a single vehicle and 55 ft for a combination, 80,000 lb gross (34 RCNY 4-15). STAA vehicles on designated federal routes are exempt from the 8 ft width.
- Over those limits, NYC DOT issues an Over Dimensional permit for each leg of the trip, $35 each, with about 48 hours' lead time; escorts must be New York State certified.
- 53 ft trailers may run only on designated corridors such as I-95, I-295 over the Throgs Neck Bridge and I-495 to Long Island.
- The NYSDOT permit covers state highways only, and the Port Authority and MTA add their own rules at bridges and tunnels.
Coming from Long Island? The Long Island truck route guide covers the parkway bans and low bridges east of the city, and our New York heavy haul page explains how we book carriers for city moves. Containers out of Port Newark and Elizabeth are covered on the NY/NJ drayage page.
NYC truck route questions
What roads are trucks not allowed on in NYC?
Trucks may not use New York City's parkways: Belt, Bronx River, Cross Island, FDR Drive, Grand Central, Henry Hudson, Harlem River Drive, Hutchinson River, Jackie Robinson, Korean War Veterans, Mosholu and Pelham. Off the parkways, trucks must stay on the designated truck route network and may leave it only to reach the delivery address by the most direct route (34 RCNY 4-13).
Is there a map of NYC truck routes?
Yes. NYC DOT publishes the truck route map on nyc.gov and the full network as open data (dataset jjja-shxy, updated March 2026). Truck route changes took effect on October 4, 2026, and NYC DOT says a new printed map is expected by the end of 2026, so check the change list until then.
What is the difference between a through and a local truck route?
A truck with neither its origin nor its destination in a borough must stay on Through Truck Routes. A truck making a pickup or delivery in the borough may use Local Truck Routes and leave the network only at the intersection nearest its stop. Drivers must carry a bill of lading or similar paper showing the origin and destination (34 RCNY 4-13).
Do oversize loads need a separate permit in New York City?
Yes. NYSDOT permits do not cover city streets. A load over New York City's limits (8 ft wide, 13 ft 6 in high, 55 ft for a combination, 80,000 lb) needs a NYC DOT Over Dimensional permit for each leg of the trip at $35 each, so a round trip needs two. Vehicles running under the federal STAA rules on designated routes are exempt from the 8 ft width limit.
Where do bridge strikes happen most in New York City?
NYC DOT recorded 943 bridge strikes from 2013 to 2025. 91.4% happened off the designated truck routes and 89.9% on parkways and drives. The single most-struck bridge is Westchester Avenue over the Hutchinson River Parkway in the Bronx: 108 strikes at a measured 11 ft 3 in clearance.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked in October 2026 against the sources below. Rules and rates change; we confirm current requirements on every move.
- NYC DOT: New York City Truck Routes (NYC Open Data jjja-shxy, updated 2026-03-02)
- NYC DOT: NYC Bridge Strike Data (NYC Open Data jdn9-td9w, 2013-2025)
- NYC DOT: Trucks and commercial vehicles (route changes effective Oct 4, 2026)
- NYC Rules 34 RCNY 4-13 and 4-15 (truck routes; size, weight and oversize permits)
- NYC DOT: Over Dimensional Vehicle permit application
- NYSDOT and NYC DOT: Stay off of State Parkways (brochure)
- MTA Bridges and Tunnels: truck and commercial vehicle information
- FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2025 New York file (pulled Oct 17, 2026)
Moving a load through New York City?
Send the dimensions, weight and both addresses. We plan the route on the truck network and order the NYC DOT, NYSDOT and crossing permits the load needs.
- FMCSA-licensed property broker, MC# 1178470
- Permits, escorts and route surveys arranged for each move
- Carriers checked for authority, insurance and safety record
- Commercial shippers, dealers, contractors and auction buyers
Prefer to talk? Call (631) 683-8275.