In October 2008, the New York State Department of Transportation released a draft regulation restricting truck access in Central New York. The ban was proposed by New York Gov. David Paterson and Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), primarily in response to complaints of truck traffic from people in the community.

According to [Kendra Adams, executive director of the New York Motor Truck Association], a NYSDOT study found that the ban would not have worked because it would end up shifting truck traffic from certain communities into other areas. Ninety-four percent of the truck traffic in the area is local, and most trucks would shift to other local routes, instead of to the Interstate system, the ATA [American Trucking Associations] says.

According to the ATA, the coalition was lobbying against the restrictions, arguing that they would unnecessarily burden carriers and local businesses, with no apparent safety benefits.

The seven routes that were part of the proposed ban include NY Route 41 between US Route 11 and US Route 20; NY Route 41A between NY Route 41 and US Route 20; NY Route 90 between US Route 11 and US Route 20; NY Route 38 between NY Route 90 and the southern Auburn City line; NY Route 79 between NY Route 90 and the southern Auburn City line; NY Route 89 between the western Ithaca City line and US Route 20; and NY Route 96 between the western Ithaca City line and NY Route 414 and between NY Route 414 and US Route 20.