The New York State Department of Transportation announced today they are installing concrete barriers along the stretch of the Bronx River Parkway where a family of seven died Sunday in a horrific crash.
“Since Sunday’s accident, we have been working on interim actions that will be implemented on the parkway beginning this morning,” state DOT Commissioner Joan McDonald said today.
The concrete barriers will be two-foot, eight inches tall and will be installed along the viaduct over the Bronx Zoo, as well as two other viaducts that cross over East Tremont Avenue and Amtrak tracks.
The barriers will be installed along the outside, right-hand travel lanes and will prevent cars from catapulting off the roadway, as the SUV did Sunday, killing all those inside.
The driver of the car, 45-year-old Maria Gonzalez, was traveling southbound on the highway. She reportedly lost control, struck the center median and then, trying to correct, veered across three other lanes of traffic. She then careened off the highway and the car fell nearly 60 feet, landing upside down just inside Bronx Zoo property.
Gonzalez’s sister, mother and father, as well as three children were in the car. All died in the crash.
