NS - Gregson Street bridge
Looking SW
Photo taken by Royce and Bobette Haley in February 2015
BH Photo #316856
Example Truck Crash Today (8/3/11) this boxtruck smashed into the Gregson St trestle and got wedged under the bridge. They deflated the tires and one of Big John's towing trucks pulled the box truck out. Later, Norfolk Southern sent a crew over to inspect the trestle and the crash beam. Sorry - only one angle ... the other camera was not working. Copyright Jürgen Henn - 11foot8.com |
Yup... Try again!
You make something idiot proof and they come up with a better idiot.... Still, an improvement.
Only took 22 days to claim it's first victim since it got raised 8 inches. https://youtu.be/-VokezIMLKE
The bridge is being raised to 12 foot 4. There is a new guillotine steel beam in place painted bright yellow. It remains to be seen who will strike the bridge at 12 foot 4.
News article about the raise: https://www.wral.com/durham-s-can-opener-bridge-being-raised...
Durham is closing the bridge to raise (not raze) it.
https://twitter.com/movesafedurham/status/118529912103021772...
This bridge does have a reinforced bar in front of it. That's what actually does the "can opener" effect as locals call it; the truck tops get sheared off by the bar, not the bridge.
The protection bar has a clearance of 11 feet, 8 inches; the bridge itself if unprotected would have clearance of approximately 11 feet, 10 inches, but it would be *extremely* vulnerable to damage. The road is one-way under the bridge, and there is not a protection bar in the other direction.
Todd,I agree with you and know that if you put cast iron headache bars so far in front of the bridges that they don't ruin the look of the bridges that would work.I don't know of any truck that can move a headache bar anchored securely in the ground.
George:
Part of the problem with these bridges is that it's not always easy to fix the issue. Railroad bridges can't change height in a short distance, so without a couple miles of rail height change, the only other option is lowering the road. Given drainage and other infrastructure, this is not always an option either.
I've seen countless videos of truck eating bridges.When is this nonsense going to stop?Or do the repair shops and wreckers love the business they get not to stop it?
A New Years Eve Penske Peel at the can opener bridge.
All in one day... a canopener and a headacher:
http://abc11.com/traffic/trucks-hit-same-bridge-hours-apart/...
There is a stringer bridge on the approach to the Government Bridge in Davenport, Iowa that is also known for the same stuff and has also become known rather infamously as "The Truck Eating Bridge."
OK, I realize 1940 stringer isn't the most significant bridge, but you have to admire the humor of this.
Still cutting those trucks down to size... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPUL2SQ77uQ