List of bridges known for strikes explained

This is a list of bridges and overpasses whose low clearance 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, the 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 (4.27 m) 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, in the absence of an approved overheight permit, is 13 feet, 6 inches (4.12 m).[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 no particular order.

!Name!Opened!Clearance Height!Location!Information
Concord Covered Bridge18727abbr=onNaNabbr=onSmyrna, Georgia, U.S.Bridge over Nickajack Creek. It is approximately 13 feet tall inside, however the entrance is only 7 feet.[8]
Mechanic Street Bridge18628abbr=onNaNabbr=onLancaster, 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 Lake Parkway Bridge187110feetSyracuse, New York, U.S.Railroad bridge that has been hit more than any other bridge in the US.
Montague Street Bridge19143m (10feet)South Melbourne, Victoria, AustraliaRail 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]
Robert Parker Coffin Bridge19068feetLong Grove, Illinois, U.S.Covered bridge on Robert Parker Coffin Road in downtown village of Long Grove is open to automobile traffic. The bridge is made of steel beams and covered in wood planks. Minimal signage warnings and expect serious damage to the vehicle when hit. It has been struck on an average of once a week for years by straightbacks, semis, oil rigs, vans, delivery trucks, and even school buses.[14]
Storrow Drive Overpasses195110feetBoston, 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.[15] 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.[16] Crashes and close calls often happen multiple days in a row. These accidents are called "Storrowing" or "Getting Storrowed".[17]
Bayswater Bridge19103.8m (12.5feet)Perth, Western Australia, AustraliaA 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.[18] The bridge was demolished in April 2023 and replaced by a new, taller rail bridge.[19]
Norfolk Southern-Gregson Street Overpass194012feetBefore 2019: 11feetDurham, North Carolina, U.S.Rail bridge owned by the North Carolina Railroad, subject of a popular YouTube channel and website created in 2008.[20] The height was raised by 8 inches in 2019.
Robert Parker Coffin Bridge19068feetLong 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.
Laurel Avenue Overpass190311feetJohnstown, Pennsylvania, U.S.Double-lane underpass near the historic Conemaugh River. The Laurel Street Overpass has received significant coverage in the Pennsylvania media due to its high number of accidents. It is estimated that the overpass is hit by tractor-trailers "at least once a month."[21]
Casho Mill Road underpass8feetNewark, Delaware, U.S.Known for an unusual number of warning devices.[22] 39.676°N -75.774°W
West Central Avenue underpass12feetDelaware, Ohio, U.S.One of many underpasses known as a "can opener". Sensor-triggered signage installed in 2018.[23] 40.304°N -83.083°W
North Washington Street underpass11abbr=onNaNabbr=onTiffin, Ohio, U.S.One of many underpasses known as a "can opener".[24] 41.119°N -83.177°W
Third Street underpass11feetLouisville, Kentucky, U.S.One of many underpasses known as a "can opener". Southern of two adjacent overpasses.[25] 38.211°N -85.763°W
Carters Creek Pike Railroad Bridge10feetColumbia, Tennessee, U.S.Known as the "Carters Creek Can Opener".[26] 35.678°N -87.012°W
East Street bridge11feetEnid, Oklahoma, U.S.One of many underpasses known as a "can opener". Bridge is painted with shark teeth, a graphic nicknamed "the Bridge Shark", to discourage overheight trucks.[27] [28] [29] 36.395°N -97.876°W
Dr. Mendiguichía Carriche Avenue underpass9feetLeganés, SpainKnown as puente tragacamiones, the "truck-swallowing bridge", there is a local Facebook page dedicated to it.[30] 40.331°N -3.77°W

Notes and References

  1. Book: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials . AASHTO: Standard Specifications for Highway Bridges . 1973 . English.
  2. Web site: Trucking Legal Height Limits Map . 2022-07-20 . Heavy Haul Trucking . en-US.
  3. Web site: February 13, 2017 . Truck Slams Into Durham's 'Can Opener' Bridge Despite New Warning System . https://web.archive.org/web/20170213121419/http://www.twcnews.com/nc/triangle-sandhills/news/2016/07/8/truck-slams-into-durham-s--can-opener--bridge-despite-new-warning-system.html . 2017-02-13 . 2022-07-20 .
  4. Web site: November 1, 2019 . Durham's infamous 'can opener' bridge to be raised CBS 17 . 2022-07-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191101144301/https://www.cbs17.com/news/local-news/durham-county-news/durhams-infamous-can-opener-bridge-to-be-raised/ . 2019-11-01 .
  5. Web site: January 9, 2016 . A little off the top: Durham's "Canopener Bridge" makes the front page of The Wall Street Journal News Indy Week . 2022-07-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160109022925/http://www.indyweek.com/news/archives/2016/01/06/a-little-off-the-top-durhams-canopener-bridge-makes-the-front-page-of-the-wall-street-journal . 2016-01-09 .
  6. Web site: Storrowed . 2022-07-20 . Universal Hub.
  7. Web site: November 10, 2021 . The Duke Employee Behind the 'Can Opener Bridge' Cam Duke Today . 2022-07-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211110040520/https://today.duke.edu/2019/10/duke-employee-behind-%E2%80%98can-opener-bridge%E2%80%99-cam . 2021-11-10 .
  8. Web site: 2019-06-20 . New warning system installed at covered bridge that keeps getting hit by cars . 2023-02-27 . WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta . en.
  9. Web site: July 13, 2022 . People Won't Stop Smashing Into Lancaster, NH's Adorable Covered Bridge . 2022-07-20 . Jalopnik . en-us.
  10. Web site: MECHANIC STREET BRIDGE – New Hampshire Covered Bridges . 2022-07-20 . www.nh.gov.
  11. Web site: February 5, 2018 . After 8 Months Dormant, The Awful Montague Street Bridge Has Awoken To Feed . 2022-07-20 . PEDESTRIAN.TV . en-US.
  12. Web site: Cooper . Adam . October 9, 2018 . Bus driver failed to see warnings before hitting Montague Street bridge, court told . 2022-07-20 . The Age . en.
  13. News: August 9, 1934 . Flood prevention at Montague . 12 . The Herald (Melbourne) . July 20, 2022.
  14. Web site: August 20, 2024 . A Coffin Hazard in Long Grove. en-us.
  15. Web site: How to Get to the Esplanade from Boston . 2022-07-20 . BostonZest.
  16. Web site: Helper . Adam . March 16, 2021 . DON'T GET STORROWED / The Truck Height Limit On Storrow Drive In Boston AdamHelper . 2022-07-20 . en-US.
  17. Web site: A look inside a Boston phenomenon: Storrowing . 2022-07-20 . www.boston.com . en-US.
  18. Web site: May 31, 2019 . The Bayswater Bridge fights back: Car left wrecked after sign falls on roof . 2022-07-20 . WAtoday . en.
  19. Web site: Countdown on until we farewell the infamous Bayswater Bridge . 2022-07-20 . METRONET . en-AU.
  20. Web site: FAQ . 2022-07-20 . 11 FOOT 8 . en-US.
  21. https://www.tribdem.com/news/local_news/a-bridge-too-low-truck-hits-overpass-in-west-end/article_7b590de9-7fc4-59f7-8f4a-1bbbf76f6c09.html Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: A Bridge Too Low; Truck Hits Overpass In West End
  22. News: Krys'tal. Griffin. Those aren't wrecking balls. See the new effort to prevent crashes at Newark underpass. The News Journal. July 14, 2022. January 14, 2024.
  23. News: Joshua. Keeran. 'Can Opener' incidents down. The Delaware Gazette. July 24, 2021. January 14, 2024.
  24. News: Tony. Geftos. Train bridge in Tiffin dubbed 'The Can Opener'. WTVG-TV. October 2, 2023. January 14, 2024.
  25. News: Staff. Louisville's 3rd Street 'can opener' claims another semitruck. WDRB-TV. December 18, 2023. January 14, 2024.
  26. News: Chris. Davis. The 'Carters Creek Can Opener' bridge continues to destroy trucks in Columbia. WTVF-TV. July 14, 2021. January 14, 2024.
  27. News: Jeff. Mullin. Don't cross your bridges until they hatch. Enid News & Eagle. June 10, 2014. May 8, 2024. subscription.
  28. News: Cass. Rains. UPDATED: Truck strikes bridge on East Maine Tuesday morning. Enid News & Eagle. April 25, 2017. May 8, 2024. subscription.
  29. News: Jessica. Miller. City commission mulls preventing bridge accidents. Enid News & Eagle. January 8, 2018. May 8, 2024. subscription.
  30. News: Jaime. Susanna. El puente 'tragacamiones' de Leganés que los destroza cada dos por tres: no tiene ni cadenas para medir la altura. El Español. November 12, 2023. February 13, 2024. es.