Worst bridge you’ve crossed?

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Mototom, Jul 27, 2019.

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  1. Linte_Loco

    Linte_Loco Road Train Member

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    Weaseana

    Atchafalaya bridge. It’s always freaking something
     
    Linte_Loco, Jul 29, 2019
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  2. 88 Alpha

    88 Alpha Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    I've crossed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel exactly twice, once going northbound, the second time was on the return trip southbound. I'm not a fan of it.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chesapeake_Bay_Bridge–Tunnel

    I'll throw out a couple that have not been mentioned yet, both in Louisiana.

    First up,
    Lake Pontchartrain Causeway (is advertised as the world's longest bridge and it basically goes north out of New Orleans across Lake Pontchartrain to Covington on I-12).

    When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, for a long time afterwards, the Causeway Bridge going east-to-west from Slidell to New Orleans was out of commission due to it being damaged and had to be rebuilt. The quickest was for trucks delivering into NOLA from the east was to stay on I-12 and take the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway bridge south back into New Orleans.

    I've crossed it several times, but only once in the fog and that time wasn't fun.
    Lake Pontchartrain Causeway - Wikipedia

    The other:
    The Huey P. Long Bridge that connects the East Bank of the Mississippi River to the West Bank of the Mississippi River in New Orleans.

    This bridge is 3 lanes each way, but those lanes are narrow and it has a train track separating the northbound side from the southbound side. Trucks have been known to take each others mirrors off as one truck passes another and law enforcement has no issue writing tickets if you take up more than your lane.

    I've crossed it once, and there was a train crossing it at the same time. I've learned how to completely avoid that bridge because I'm not putting myself in a position where there's even a chance to be on that bridge with a train again.
    Huey P. Long Bridge (Jefferson Parish) - Wikipedia
     
    88 Alpha, Jul 29, 2019
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  3. 88 Alpha

    88 Alpha Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    Are you talking about the 55 MPH bridge from BR to Lafayette? If so, I don't think that one is too bad. It's long with a slow speed limit. but it is also flat, minus the one exception of when it crosses the river near the west side, and even there it isn't very high.
     
    88 Alpha, Jul 29, 2019
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  4. Linte_Loco

    Linte_Loco Road Train Member

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    Yes. Not a hard bridge, just always wrecks or 45 mph trucks. It just gets on my nerve
     
    Linte_Loco, Jul 29, 2019
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  5. JC1971

    JC1971 Road Train Member

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    I actually like the 18-mile Bridge through the Atchafalaya swamp. Nice change of scenery. Of course, I only have to drive it a few times a year, now.
     
    JC1971, Jul 29, 2019
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  6. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

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    Richmond had some old bridges. Blown up now.. so nothing to say on them.

    One bridge i keep coming back to at home would be the Papermill in Cromwell near Baltimore. A older iron bridge built at the turn of century. Eventually banned from cars in my teenage years, closed to my adult years, rebuilt as a memorial because it's not able to carry any weight anymore much. But it will be around a while.

    They don't build them like that anymore.

    Another would be Conowingo Dam on US1 above the Tydings. I think during one of the hurricanes early on the river overflowed the east end by 8 feet completely over the walls. All 50 gates over flowed and the power house allowed to take what it came at that end 5 feet over the pavement. It stood that fairly well.

    It's getting to the point that they may have to detonate that old Dam because the river has managed to fill in itself behind it almost as high as it stands with dirt down below. Going back 10 miles upriver.
     
    x1Heavy, Jul 29, 2019
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  7. MACK E-6

    MACK E-6 Moderator Staff Member

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    I’ve done the one on 13 on a bike once.
     
    MACK E-6, Jul 29, 2019
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  8. MACK E-6

    MACK E-6 Moderator Staff Member

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    You’re thinking of Hurricane Agnes of ‘72. I’ve heard that story myself. Every gate was open and it still wasn’t enough, so there was talk of blasting out the northern section of the dam.
     
    MACK E-6, Jul 29, 2019
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  9. 88 Alpha

    88 Alpha Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    I've never ridden a bike very much, but what little I have, I cannot imagine going across that bridge on a 2-wheeler.

    I tip my hat to you because there's no way I could make that trip.
     
    88 Alpha, Jul 29, 2019
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  10. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

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    Ive done some riding myself. 6 states worth. 100 miles a day maybe. I was in my prime then.

    I had that bad wreck one night on a bridge in front of a oversize at 55. Figures that would be the way to go. But he fixed it fast. That was the end of it. I tried to see about it about 5 years ago out of sheer gumption but the winter winds showed I could not stay warm as I used to. Ha.
     
    x1Heavy, Jul 29, 2019
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