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Scariest bridge you've ever driven across

Started by bugo, June 15, 2010, 04:45:59 PM

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lordsutch

The pre-rebuild Huey P. Long used to be my winner. Until I crossed this bridge in England, with the added "driving on the opposite side of the road from what I'm used to" difficulty bonus.


kkt

Quote from: lordsutch on February 04, 2017, 03:47:12 PM
The pre-rebuild Huey P. Long used to be my winner. Until I crossed this bridge in England, with the added "driving on the opposite side of the road from what I'm used to" difficulty bonus.

Make everybody get out of the car, walk across the pedestrian bridge, and meet them on the other side?

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: kkt on February 04, 2017, 04:58:40 PM
Quote from: lordsutch on February 04, 2017, 03:47:12 PM
The pre-rebuild Huey P. Long used to be my winner. Until I crossed this bridge in England, with the added "driving on the opposite side of the road from what I'm used to" difficulty bonus.

Make everybody get out of the car, walk across the pedestrian bridge, and meet them on the other side?

Looks like there is decent enough room for at minimum two standard sized vehicle to squeeze by each other without a lot of effort.  That "weak bridge" sign with no weight capacity sure isn't reassuring though.  :-D

Big John

^^ I believe the 7.5 T refers to the weight capacity (tons or tonnes?)

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: Big John on February 04, 2017, 06:16:16 PM
^^ I believe the 7.5 T refers to the weight capacity (tons or tonnes?)

Yeah you're right, I guess the non MUTCD (England obviously) sign threw me off and I should have zoomed in or noticed the one on the left.

DTComposer

I wouldn't call this bridge scary compared to many on this thread, but for some reason I get a little pit in my stomach every time I drive the Cold Spring Canyon Arch Bridge on CA-154 north of Santa Barbara.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_Spring_Canyon_Arch_Bridge

(picture from AARoads)

D-Dey65

#356
Quote from: Rothman on December 26, 2015, 10:42:28 AM
The K-Bridge (Kosciusko) replacement is already well under way.
Between that bridge, and the Tappan Zee and the Goethals Bridge, the Kosciusko is the one I'll miss the most.

Quote from: DTComposer on February 04, 2017, 07:11:20 PM
I wouldn't call this bridge scary compared to many on this thread, but for some reason I get a little pit in my stomach every time I drive the Cold Spring Canyon Arch Bridge on CA-154 north of Santa Barbara.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_Spring_Canyon_Arch_Bridge

(picture from AARoads)
Nice scenery, but I wouldn't want to be there, or any other high arch bridge in an earthquake. So I guess I'm with you on this.



J N Winkler

Quote from: Big John on February 04, 2017, 06:16:16 PM^^ I believe the 7.5 T refers to the weight capacity (tons or tonnes?)

Tonnes (since TSRGD 1981 went into effect).
"It is necessary to spend a hundred lire now to save a thousand lire later."--Piero Puricelli, explaining the need for a first-class road system to Benito Mussolini

sparker

The Auburn-Foresthill Bridge northeast of Auburn, CA has always been a bit frightening to me -- primarily because the approaches to each side are downhill, giving whoever crosses the nearly half-mile-long span the full view of the fact that it's 730 feet in the air (mid-span).  Advice: don't look sideways any more than absolutely necessary while driving across the bridge -- to me it feels like I'm driving on a tightrope! :wow:

stwoodbury

Quote from: lordsutch on February 04, 2017, 03:47:12 PM
The pre-rebuild Huey P. Long used to be my winner. Until I crossed this bridge in England, with the added "driving on the opposite side of the road from what I'm used to" difficulty bonus.
That's next to the Old Bridge Hotel and Pub in Huntingdon.  I walked across that one on the pedestrian bridge in February 2016, but I don't recall driving over it. According to Wikipedia, that bridge was originally built in 1332. 

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: sparker on March 02, 2017, 02:48:14 AM
The Auburn-Foresthill Bridge northeast of Auburn, CA has always been a bit frightening to me -- primarily because the approaches to each side are downhill, giving whoever crosses the nearly half-mile-long span the full view of the fact that it's 730 feet in the air (mid-span).  Advice: don't look sideways any more than absolutely necessary while driving across the bridge -- to me it feels like I'm driving on a tightrope! :wow:

You get a fantastic view of that bridge on northbound CA 49:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Foresthill+Bridge,+Auburn,+CA+95603/@38.923259,-121.038845,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m8!1e2!3m6!1s36223096!2e1!3e10!6s%2F%2Flh4.googleusercontent.com%2Fproxy%2FweOQa_8L1AoShCh3iPfbAmMLMSdQS4Po49yKySUXgaruRZxQzPMFnQJzR1cuzp4vnrFaukpQec5Xvzrk8uG2CRUqCdjJqQ%3Dw203-h152!7i2048!8i1536!4m5!3m4!1s0x809b05094a4ebb87:0xb9543427fa7ad3b3!8m2!3d38.9221782!4d-121.0388651?hl=en

sparker

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on March 02, 2017, 09:26:11 AM
Quote from: sparker on March 02, 2017, 02:48:14 AM
The Auburn-Foresthill Bridge northeast of Auburn, CA has always been a bit frightening to me -- primarily because the approaches to each side are downhill, giving whoever crosses the nearly half-mile-long span the full view of the fact that it's 730 feet in the air (mid-span).  Advice: don't look sideways any more than absolutely necessary while driving across the bridge -- to me it feels like I'm driving on a tightrope! :wow:

You get a fantastic view of that bridge on northbound CA 49:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Foresthill+Bridge,+Auburn,+CA+95603/@38.923259,-121.038845,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m8!1e2!3m6!1s36223096!2e1!3e10!6s%2F%2Flh4.googleusercontent.com%2Fproxy%2FweOQa_8L1AoShCh3iPfbAmMLMSdQS4Po49yKySUXgaruRZxQzPMFnQJzR1cuzp4vnrFaukpQec5Xvzrk8uG2CRUqCdjJqQ%3Dw203-h152!7i2048!8i1536!4m5!3m4!1s0x809b05094a4ebb87:0xb9543427fa7ad3b3!8m2!3d38.9221782!4d-121.0388651?hl=en

Which in itself is interesting, as it was presumed -- for a time -- that when the Auburn Dam would inundate existing CA 49, the Auburn-Foresthill Bridge would be part of a hilltopping CA 49 bypass of the lake to be formed by the dam.  Of course, when the dam was cancelled, there was no need to reroute CA 49 -- since a jog over I-80 would have been required under that plan.  The aggregate mileage of a reroute using existing roadways (up 80, over the bridge, and backtracking on the old Foresthill road that went down into the canyon to intersect with CA 49) was much more than the original route through central Auburn -- even with its narrow winding descent into the American River canyon. 

D-Dey65

Quote from: stwoodbury on March 02, 2017, 07:55:01 AM
According to Wikipedia, that bridge was originally built in 1332. 
You do realize you have a major typo there, right? I was going to make a joke about the bridge being that old, but I changed my mind.


jakeroot

Quote from: D-Dey65 on March 07, 2017, 03:24:20 PM
Quote from: stwoodbury on March 02, 2017, 07:55:01 AM
According to Wikipedia, that bridge was originally built in 1332. 

You do realize you have a major typo there, right? I was going to make a joke about the bridge being that old, but I changed my mind.

I assume the typo is the extra forward slash in the link (which I've fixed in this post), yes? Because the bridge was in fact built in 1332.

D-Dey65

Quote from: jakeroot on March 07, 2017, 03:34:03 PM
Quote from: D-Dey65 on March 07, 2017, 03:24:20 PM
Quote from: stwoodbury on March 02, 2017, 07:55:01 AM
According to Wikipedia, that bridge was originally built in 1332. 

You do realize you have a major typo there, right? I was going to make a joke about the bridge being that old, but I changed my mind.

I assume the typo is the extra forward slash in the link (which I've fixed in this post), yes? Because the bridge was in fact built in 1332.
No, it's a mistake on my part. I thought you were still talking about the Huey P. Long Bridge, which was actually built in 1935. Yes, I can easily believe the bridge you linked to was built in 1332.



mgk920

The soon-to-be supplanted Stillwater Bridge is one of the few 'scary bridges' that I have crossed here in Wisconsin.  It is a 1930s-era multi-span through truss with a draw span.  The scariest part to me is the reports that I have seen regarding its condition.

:wow:

Mike

MNHighwayMan

Quote from: mgk920 on March 20, 2017, 10:30:35 PM
The soon-to-be supplanted Stillwater Bridge is one of the few 'scary bridges' that I have crossed here in Wisconsin.  It is a 1930s-era multi-span through truss with a draw span.  The scariest part to me is the reports that I have seen regarding its condition.

:wow:

Mike

Yeah, not to mention it's always full of traffic. This picture is a pretty typical scene.


InterstateGuy

Not really scared of bridges but if I were to pick one it woyld probably be the I-95 Millard Tydings Bridge in maryland because of how high it is.

jwolfer

Quote from: InterstateGuy on April 01, 2017, 03:09:28 PM
Not really scared of bridges but if I were to pick one it woyld probably be the I-95 Millard Tydings Bridge in maryland because of how high it is.
My mom hates that bridge...sge would rather drive across Annapolis Bay Bridge which i find ironic, the Bay Bridge. Has more "scary" factor to me... I am not scared of either

LGMS428


cl94

Has anyone mentioned Goethals or Outerbridge yet?
Please note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of my employer or any of its partner agencies.

Travel Mapping (updated weekly)

1995hoo

Quote from: cl94 on April 01, 2017, 08:13:42 PM
Has anyone mentioned Goethals or Outerbridge yet?

From page 2 of the thread:

Quote from: 1995hoo on April 29, 2011, 10:55:05 AM
The old Waldo-Hancock Bridge over the Penobscot River in Maine. It just felt old and rickety and very narrow. The Goethals and Outerbridge are more nerve-wracking due to the narrow lanes and heavy traffic, but the one in Maine felt very isolated and less likely to get regular maintenance.

My brother says the scariest bridge he drove across was the George Washington Bridge on his way home from our grandmother's funeral in 1995. Why that one? He was on the lower level in his 1974 Beetle in slow traffic and he saw a pothole near his car through which he says he could see the Hudson far below.
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

kphoger

On Saturday, my wife and I took a short trip to Arkansas for our 11th anniversary.  On the way there, we took a scenic route, and that included AR-187 across the Little Golden Gate Bridge in the town of Beaver.  My wife has a fear of bridges over water, so I made sure not to tell her about this bridge until we were almost upon it.  She was brave:  even though the sound of the boards clunking underneath our car unnerved her, she was the one who took the pictures.  The bridge is one lane with wooden decking.  And yes, it's part of a state highway.



Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

sparker

Quote from: kphoger on April 06, 2017, 12:57:21 PM
On Saturday, my wife and I took a short trip to Arkansas for our 11th anniversary.  On the way there, we took a scenic route, and that included AR-187 across the Little Golden Gate Bridge in the town of Beaver.  My wife has a fear of bridges over water, so I made sure not to tell her about this bridge until we were almost upon it.  She was brave:  even though the sound of the boards clunking underneath our car unnerved her, she was the one who took the pictures.  The bridge is one lane with wooden decking.  And yes, it's part of a state highway.





Is that 11'6" sign to the bottom of the cross-brace -- or to the bottom of the sign itself?  If I had to guess, I'd say the latter -- just to provide an additional measure of safety for what looks like a pretty marginal suspension system (I'm looking at the undersized vertical components)! 

kkt

Quote from: sparker on April 06, 2017, 04:54:36 PM
Quote from: kphoger on April 06, 2017, 12:57:21 PM
On Saturday, my wife and I took a short trip to Arkansas for our 11th anniversary.  On the way there, we took a scenic route, and that included AR-187 across the Little Golden Gate Bridge in the town of Beaver.  My wife has a fear of bridges over water, so I made sure not to tell her about this bridge until we were almost upon it.  She was brave:  even though the sound of the boards clunking underneath our car unnerved her, she was the one who took the pictures.  The bridge is one lane with wooden decking.  And yes, it's part of a state highway.





Is that 11'6" sign to the bottom of the cross-brace -- or to the bottom of the sign itself?  If I had to guess, I'd say the latter -- just to provide an additional measure of safety for what looks like a pretty marginal suspension system (I'm looking at the undersized vertical components)! 

According to this:

https://bridgehunter.com/ar/carroll/beaver/

clearance is 13.8 ft. above the deck, so probably it's the bottom of the sign.

Also, 10 ton weight limit.

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: kphoger on April 06, 2017, 12:57:21 PM
On Saturday, my wife and I took a short trip to Arkansas for our 11th anniversary.  On the way there, we took a scenic route, and that included AR-187 across the Little Golden Gate Bridge in the town of Beaver.  My wife has a fear of bridges over water, so I made sure not to tell her about this bridge until we were almost upon it.  She was brave:  even though the sound of the boards clunking underneath our car unnerved her, she was the one who took the pictures.  The bridge is one lane with wooden decking.  And yes, it's part of a state highway.





That's pretty cool, apparently it is the only suspension bridge open in Arkansas.  Weird thing is that there is an article on Wikipedia about the Beaver Bridge but not Arkansas 187...  At least that's not all that high above the water table.



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