NYC launches ‘nation’s first’ automated enforcement system for overweight trucks on the BQE

This week, New York City officials announced the launch of a first-of-its-kind system to automatically identify and ticket overweight trucks on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE).

In an August 7 announcement, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said that the city will kick off use of the new automated enforcement system on August 10, 2023, with a 90 day warning period to be followed by full enforcement beginning November 8, 2023.

The program will use advanced “weigh-in-motion” (WIM) sensors to determine the weight of trucks traveling on the city-owned portions of the BQE. The system uses license plate cameras to identify and issue citations to any trucks found to be overweight.

Officials say that drivers will be subject to a $650 fine per violation.

City officials will also be working with the New York Police Department to “identify and target enforcement along alternative corridors that overweight trucks may try to use as an alternative.”

The purpose of the automated overweight truck enforcement system is to preserve and protect the aging BQE infrastructure, according to Adams.

“New York City is leading the country in protecting and reimagining our critical infrastructure, and this first-in-the-nation weigh-in-motion program will be a critical tool not only to protect the roadway but also to support our aggressive efforts to re-envision a safer and greener BQE,” said Mayor Adams. “The BQE is a critical driver of our entire region’s economy, and we will enforce the law to keep our city’s recovery moving full speed ahead. I want to thank Governor Hochul, Senator Gounardes, and Assemblymember Simon for their partnership on this legislation.”

“Managing overweight trucks is critical to improving safety on our streets and prolonging the lifespan of the BQE ahead of our redesign,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “I want to share my deep gratitude to Governor Hochul, Senator Gounardes, Assemblymember Simon, and Councilmember Restler for their tireless advocacy, which ultimately moved this legislation forward. With this win on WIM, New York City will be leading the nation on automated overweight truck enforcement.”

“Overweight trucks cause wear and tear that requires costly maintenance and reduces the lifespan of our roads and bridges. We need to keep overweight trucks off our streets, and New York City is leading on this with the first-in-the-nation automated weigh-in-motion enforcement system to issue violations to those who break the law,” said DOT Commissioner Rodriguez. “I thank Governor Kathy Hochul, Senator Gounardes, and Assemblymember Simon for passing and enacting the legislation, and Councilmember Restler for securing the necessary approval from the City Council, allowing New York City to leverage this critical tool to preserve the lifespan of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.”