Thurway

A tractor-trailer has reportedly left the roadway and traveled into the woods on the Thruway in Le Roy.

There are no injuries reported in the accident.

The location is on the eastbound side of the Thruway, just west of the Le Roy exit.

Le Roy fire and Le Roy ambulance dispatched.

UPDATE 3:22 p.m.: Chief on location. It's not a tractor-trailer. It's a wrecker that's off into the woods.

Press release:

With the Thruway Authority canceling two consecutive meetings at the last moment over the past week, and authority leadership expressing opposition to a proposed 45-percent toll hike on commercial trucks, Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,I,C-Batavia) is crediting job creators and business advocates for making their voices heard on the issue.

Hawley, who joined fellow lawmakers and pro-business groups like Unshackle Upstate in sounding the alarm on the proposed hikes beginning in June, applauded those who contacted the Thruway Authority to oppose the job-killing toll increase.

“Thanks to the constant pressure from local families, businesses, lawmakers and advocacy groups, the Thruway Authority has put their toll hike plan in reverse,” Hawley said. “The comments made by Thruway Authority Executive Director Thomas Madison and other high-ranking board members indicate that our message is being heard and common sense is prevailing.

"Such a drastic toll increase on commercial trucks would force businesses to either take their jobs out of New York or pass a cost increase onto consumers. We must continue to stand against this toll hike until the plan is officially discarded and our job creators are protected.”

Press Release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,I,C-Batavia) recently blasted the Thruway Authority Board for approving the first step toward a 45-percent toll hike on commercial trucks with three or more axles. Hawley pointed to a litany of ways in which the proposal would hurt businesses, consumers, taxpayers and the economy as a whole.

“There are so many things wrong with this toll hike, it’s difficult to decide what the worst part may be,” said Hawley. “This proposal will eliminate jobs for New Yorkers as trucking companies move out of the state and avoid doing business in New York entirely. The cost increase will be passed onto consumers as companies increase the price of their goods in order to recoup the lost capital. Trucks will be forced onto local roads in an attempt to avoid the tolls, causing the need for expensive repairs to local roadways like Route 63 that taxpayers will be forced to fund. In addition, driving hazards will increase by adding more large trucks to local traffic. The real question here is how could someone possibly think a 45-percent commercial toll hike is a good idea?”

Thruway Authority Chairman Howard Milstein called the 45-percent hike a “modest increase,” even though the proposal would increase a trip between Buffalo and New York City for applicable trucks to roughly $127.

“In Western New York, we know that a 45-percent spike in tolls is anything but a ‘modest increase,’ ” said Hawley. “While the Legislature works to reverse the irresponsible, job-killing taxes and fees that have plagued state government for years, unelected bureaucrats are working directly against our effort to reopen New York for business. This is completely unacceptable, and I urge Western New Yorkers to join me in making our voice heard against this irresponsible policy.”

The Thruway Authority is required to hold public hearings on the matter before implementing the toll hike. Details on the hearings have yet to be released. 

Emergency dispatch is getting multiple calls about a rollover accident on either the Thruway or the I-490, or both.

Callers for the two different locations report a black SUV being involved.

Le Roy fire, Mercy EMS and Le Roy ambulance dispatched.

Responders will be checking both locations.

UPDATE 4:09 p.m.: One patient, out of the vehicle, walking. Mercy Flight was on standby, is now cancelled. The accident is on the Thruway.

There were no injuries following a two-car accident on the Thruway in Pembroke this morning, near mile marker 403 in the westbound lane.

One car caught on fire following the accident, according to State Police.

One westbound lane was blocked for about an hour.

Photo submitted by reader Kevin Switzer.

A car is off the road in the median on the Thruway near mile marker 398.

Unknown injuries.

East Pembroke Fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 3:59 p.m.: No injuries. Traffic is heavily backed up in the westbound lanes. There also appears to be another car off the road in the area.

A car has struck a deer around mile marker 381 in the westbound lane of the Thruway.

The driver requests evaluation for windshield glass in the face.

Le Roy Fire and Ambulance responding.

UPDATE: Chief puts the responding engine back in service. Only minor injuries. Ambulance on scene.

Mercy EMS is being dispatched to the toll both at the Oak Street exit of the Thruway to attend to a woman with a head injury from a motor vehicle accident.

The car is in the parking lot at the exit.

No word on where the accident occurred.

UPDATE 9:49 p.m. Town of Batavia Fire just dispatched.

Two ambulances are responding to a single-car rollover accident on the westbound Thruway at mile maker 382.6 in the Town of LeRoy.

The extent of any injuries are unknown, but an original dispatch of Mercy Flight -- which was 90 miles away -- has been canceled.

All occupants are out of the vehicle.

I'm really not a fan of the New York State Thruway. I don't like paying the toll, and it too quickly zips you past some of WNY's beautiful scenery. When I do drive it, I can't help but feel I'm being jettisoned down a pneumatic tube. There's not much to the right of me, and even less on the left. Just zoom, zoom past guard rails and weeds to my destination.

When my wife and I needed to drive to Massachusetts for a wedding last spring, we traversed nothing but New York's "back roads." Avoiding the Thruway added two hours to our trip both ways, but it was worth it.  We saw every rustic village along the way and ate in some nice locally owned restaurants, rather than cookie-cutter chains at Thurway rest stops.

As we drove along the 5 & 20, I thought what a great route -- the businesses should band together along the 5 & 20 to promote tourism. When I got home, I found this 5 & 20 Web site.

Kelly Rapone, over at the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce, is involved in a 5 & 20 promotional project and asked that I pass along a link to a survey the group is doing. If you take the survey you will be entered into a chance to win a $100 gas card.

So, take the survey, drive the 5 & 20, and support local and regional businesses.