List of bridges known for strikes
This is a list of bridges and overpasses whose low clearance or structure gauge causes a notable amount of accidents, also known as bridge strikes. Simply being struck by a vehicle is not criteria for inclusion on this list. To be included, bridge should have a notable history of strikes.
Many countries establish minimum standards for the structure gauge of bridges. For example, the United States requires a height of 14 feet for highway bridges.[1] Some vehicle standards are made to conform to these expectations. In much of the United States, the maximum height of a semi truck is 13 feet, 6 inches.[2] Some bridges were built before the adoption of these standards, and are undersized. Accidents involving these bridges have spurred mitigation efforts, such as installing sensors and signs that warn drivers.[3] These efforts do not entirely eliminate strikes, prompting some efforts to increase the clearance height.[4]
Viral videos of bridge strikes have generated substantial public interest.[5][6] One of the most famous examples of this is the Norfolk Southern–Gregson Street Overpass, also known as the "11foot8" bridge, which was popularized by a YouTube channel.[7]
Bridges
The bridges are listed in ascending order of height.
Name | Opened | Clearance Height | Location | Information |
---|---|---|---|---|
Concord Covered Bridge | 1872 | 2.1 metres (7 ft) | Smyrna, Georgia, U.S. | Bridge over Nickajack Creek. It is approximately 13 feet tall inside, however the entrance is only 7 feet.[8] |
Mechanic Street Bridge | 1862 | 2.4 metres (8 ft) | Lancaster, New Hampshire, U.S. | Covered bridge over the Israel River that is open to automobile traffic. Most of the bridge structure is wooden, causing catastrophic damage when it is struck, necessitating closures for repairs.[9][10] |
Onondaga Parkway Bridge | 1871 | 11 feet (3.3 m) | Syracuse, New York, U.S. | Railroad bridge that has been hit more than any other bridge in the US. |
Montague Street Bridge | 1914 | 3.0 metres (9.8 ft) | South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | Rail bridge, part of the Port Melbourne railway line. Strikes of the bridge are the subject of a website, frequent local media reports, and a song.[11] A bus driver was imprisoned for injuring passengers by driving into the bridge.[12] The bridge originally had a larger clearance height, but the road beneath had to be raised due to flooding.[13] |
Storrow Drive Overpasses | 1951 | 3.2 metres (10 ft 6 in) | Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | Nine bridges cross Storrow Drive, a parkway operated by the Massachusetts DCR. The clearance heights vary, but the limit most often cited is 10 feet, 6 inches.[14] Part of the attention comes from the seasonal nature of the bridge strikes, given that in the late summer many college students crash moving trucks into the bridges when traveling to campuses.[15] Crashes and close calls often happen multiple days in a row. These accidents called "Storrowing" or "Getting Storrowed".[16] |
Bayswater Bridge | 1910 | 3.8 metres (12 ft) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | A rail bridge owned by Western Australia's Public Transport Authority subject to substantial media coverage. At one point, signs marking the low clearance of the bridge fell onto a vehicle, damaging it.[17] The bridge is scheduled to be replaced in 2022.[18] |
Norfolk Southern-Gregson Street Overpass | 1940 | 3.8 metres (12 ft 4 in) (before 2019: 3.6 metres (11 ft 8 in)) |
Durham, North Carolina, U.S. | Rail bridge owned by the North Carolina Railroad, subject of a popular YouTube channel and website created in 2008.[19] The height was raised by 8 inches in 2019.[4] |
Robert Parker Coffin Bridge | 1906 | 3.2 meters (10 ft. 6 in) | Long Grove, Illinois, U.S. | Single-lane covered bridge over Buffalo Creek. The low wooden covering was added to protect the steel elements and limit truck traffic through the village. After being placed on the National Historic Register the bridge covering was damaged by an over-size truck which lead to the construction of a steel sub-structure. |
References
- ^ American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (1973). AASHTO: Standard Specifications for Highway Bridges.
- ^ "Trucking Legal Height Limits Map". Heavy Haul Trucking. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
- ^ "Truck Slams Into Durham's 'Can Opener' Bridge Despite New Warning System". February 13, 2017. Archived from the original on February 13, 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
- ^ a b "Durham's infamous 'can opener' bridge to be raised | CBS 17". November 1, 2019. Archived from the original on November 1, 2019. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
- ^ "A little off the top: Durham's "Canopener Bridge" makes the front page of The Wall Street Journal | News | Indy Week". January 9, 2016. Archived from the original on January 9, 2016. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
- ^ "Storrowed". Universal Hub. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
- ^ "The Duke Employee Behind the 'Can Opener Bridge' Cam | Duke Today". November 10, 2021. Archived from the original on November 10, 2021. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
- ^ "New warning system installed at covered bridge that keeps getting hit by cars". WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta. June 20, 2019. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
- ^ "People Won't Stop Smashing Into Lancaster, NH's Adorable Covered Bridge". Jalopnik. July 13, 2022. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
- ^ "MECHANIC STREET BRIDGE – New Hampshire Covered Bridges". www.nh.gov. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
- ^ "After 8 Months Dormant, The Awful Montague Street Bridge Has Awoken To Feed". PEDESTRIAN.TV. February 5, 2018. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
- ^ Cooper, Adam (October 9, 2018). "Bus driver failed to see warnings before hitting Montague Street bridge, court told". The Age. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
- ^ "Flood prevention at Montague". The Herald (Melbourne). August 9, 1934. p. 12. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
- ^ "How to Get to the Esplanade from Boston". BostonZest. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
- ^ Helper, Adam (March 16, 2021). "DON'T GET STORROWED / The Truck Height Limit On Storrow Drive In Boston | AdamHelper". Retrieved July 20, 2022.
- ^ "A look inside a Boston phenomenon: Storrowing". www.boston.com. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
- ^ "The Bayswater Bridge fights back: Car left wrecked after sign falls on roof". WAtoday. May 31, 2019. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
- ^ "Countdown on until we farewell the infamous Bayswater Bridge". METRONET. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
- ^ "FAQ". 11 FOOT 8. Retrieved July 20, 2022.