If you’ve got a high-profile rig or an oversize trailer, steer clear of Long Island’s parkways. The 11 state parkways on Long Island ban commercial vehicles entirely. They include the Northern State, Southern State, Meadowbrook, Wantagh, Bethpage, Sagtikos, Sunken Meadow, Heckscher, Loop and Ocean parkways and the Robert Moses Causeway. All vehicles over 94 inches tall are barred, even if they have passenger plates.
The parkways were built in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s specifically for passenger cars. Most of the parkways on Long Island have numerous low stone and concrete arch bridges on them. On the Southern State Parkway, 68 of the 88 bridges are under 12 feet tall. The lowest is the one at Fletcher Avenue in Hempstead. It was built in 1934, and it’s only 8 feet, 3 inches tall. Nassau got the worst of it: some 87 of the 111 Long Island bridges under 12 feet are in Nassau. In New York, signs warn of heights that are one foot lower than the measured height.
In theory, any vehicle with passenger plates can travel on the Island’s parkways, if it meets other criteria. But they do forbid any truck with a commercial vehicle registration and they prohibit overheight vehicles, even if they are not a truck. The best advice is to check the height of the vehicle you intend to drive before hitting the parkway system. A taxi or limo is okay on the parkways as long as it is under 94 inches tall and has passenger license plates.
The presence of commercial plates is one way to tell that a vehicle is in commercial use, but it’s not the only one. To carry commercial goods, a person using a passenger car must obtain a written permit. The only lettering you can have, without a special permit, is an owner’s name and address in letters two inches or smaller. The Island’s parkways ban anything towed. The only exceptions are when a tow truck is authorized by the department to haul a broken down car off a parkway.
There is one more loophole. Some parts of the parkways on the south shore of Long Island permit vehicles up to 13 feet tall to travel on them. They allow the trucks so that nearby homes and businesses can be served. The south shore parkways with stretches that allow the taller trucks include:
- the Loop Parkway,
- Bay Parkway,
- Ocean Parkway,
- Robert Moses Causeway,
- Heckscher Spur,
- the lower portion of the Meadowbrook and Wantagh.
Penalties
If you strike one of these parkway bridges, as of February 16, 2026, it will cost you 8 points on your New York driver’s license. There were 310 strikes on New York bridges in 2025. Operating overheight on New York bridges costs the same eight points whether or not you actually crash. In one week in July, 2026, Long Island’s State Police Troop L wrote 67 tickets, and ran 48 truck inspections. Towing can run to $10,000 or more for tractor trailers, according to NYSDOT. You may also be required to reimburse the state for the cost of fixing the bridges.
If you go on a banned parkway with a commercially registered vehicle that weighs less than 10,000 pounds, you could face penalties of up to $250 or 15 days in jail. If you’re operating a heavier commercial vehicle, the penalties for the first offense are up to $700. If it’s your third offense in 18 months, the maximum penalty rises to $2,000.
Bridges over Other Roads
Federal records show that bridges over other roads are not nearly as much of a problem. The federal inventory lists only four over Long Island’s roadways with clearances under 12 feet, and only 19 under 14 feet. Look at the numbers as minimums. Railroad bridges, including most of the LIRR overpasses, aren’t included in that federal inventory. Recently-paved roadways can also make an underpass too short.
Use the 511NY App to Plan
Don’t assume your favorite phone app knows about parkways. And GPS can send you onto a parkway when you’re not looking. When you travel, use the 511NY app to plan. You can put your phone in ’Trucker Mode’ to flag restricted routes. If your vehicle is taller than 94 inches, you’ll have to use the Long Island Expressway or alternate routes like Sunrise Highway or Jericho Turnpike.
If you’re driving an SUV, check the height.
