New Clearance Signing Scheme on I-20 in E TX

[Brian556]

On I-20, in the Longview-Marshall area, TxDOT has installed new clearance signs. The pattern is: 1 48x48 diamond on the right about 800 ft before the bridge, a 48x48 diamond on both sides of the road about 50 ft before the bridge, and the rectangular sign on the bridge. This was at all bridges, regardless of clearance, for several miles. Street View has not been updated to show this.

[Bobby5280]

I wonder if it will do any good. The famous 11' 8" bridge in Durham, NC is fairly well-signed with clearance warning signs. There's a pair of diamond signs with vertical arrows and 11' 8" numerals right at the foot of the bridge on both sides of S Gregson St. The intersection with W Peabody St next to the bridge has additional diamond signs. There are other directional truck route signs advising large trucks not to go under the bridge. Nevertheless all sorts of trucks (most often rental trucks) have their trailers treated to can opener action by the headache bar in front of the bridge. The videos of this stuff on YouTube are crazy.

[Brian556]

I find it interesting that TxDOT did this, given the fact that other states do not sign interstate bridge clearances at all.

Concerning the 11ft 8in bridge in NC, just yesterday I found one that 10ft 8 in on FM 1997 in Marshall TX. Kinda surprised its not famous.

The bridge:
https://www.google.com/maps/@32.5505683,-94.3716595,3a,15.4y,0.1h,83.39t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sJOXnulvOweJzF87bqiONvA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@32.5510805,-94.3716524,3a,75y,21.48h,77.43t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sehpYUjsB4f6GVRiKJmnpcw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

The warning device
https://www.google.com/maps/@32.5499257,-94.3716326,3a,23.1y,16.53h,82.27t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sN-NBDUGyfm6whK4Qm6SkfQ!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo1.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DN-NBDUGyfm6whK4Qm6SkfQ%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D150.36458%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656

[bwana39]

I find it interesting that TxDOT did this, given the fact that other states do not sign interstate bridge clearances at all.

Concerning the 11ft 8in bridge in NC, just yesterday I found one that 10ft 8 in on FM 1997 in Marshall TX. Kinda surprised its not famous.

The bridge:
https://www.google.com/maps/@32.5505683,-94.3716595,3a,15.4y,0.1h,83.39t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sJOXnulvOweJzF87bqiONvA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@32.5510805,-94.3716524,3a,75y,21.48h,77.43t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sehpYUjsB4f6GVRiKJmnpcw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

The warning device
https://www.google.com/maps/@32.5499257,-94.3716326,3a,23.1y,16.53h,82.27t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sN-NBDUGyfm6whK4Qm6SkfQ!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo1.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DN-NBDUGyfm6whK4Qm6SkfQ%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D150.36458%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656

There is virtually no traffic on Grove except for ETBU. Certainly nothing that would have ANY truck traffic. It may be on an FM Road, but it realistically is just a residential street.  I might add one additional thing. This one looks LOWER than it actually is.

[Anthony_JK]

I wonder if it will do any good. The famous 11' 8" bridge in Durham, NC is fairly well-signed with clearance warning signs. There's a pair of diamond signs with vertical arrows and 11' 8" numerals right at the foot of the bridge on both sides of S Gregson St. The intersection with W Peabody St next to the bridge has additional diamond signs. There are other directional truck route signs advising large trucks not to go under the bridge. Nevertheless all sorts of trucks (most often rental trucks) have their trailers treated to can opener action by the headache bar in front of the bridge. The videos of this stuff on YouTube are crazy.

It's now called the "11' 8" + 8 Bridge" on YouTube, since they somehow found a way to raise the clearance to 12' 6". Can opener accidents still occur on occasion, however.

[bwana39]

On I-20, in the Longview-Marshall area, TxDOT has installed new clearance signs. The pattern is: 1 48x48 diamond on the right about 800 ft before the bridge, a 48x48 diamond on both sides of the road about 50 ft before the bridge, and the rectangular sign on the bridge. This was at all bridges, regardless of clearance, for several miles. Street View has not been updated to show this.

I THINK the clearance signs are coming OFF of the bridges themselves. I think the amount of stuff hanging off any Texas bridges is about to be minimized if not eliminated altogether.

[I-35]

On I-20, in the Longview-Marshall area, TxDOT has installed new clearance signs. The pattern is: 1 48x48 diamond on the right about 800 ft before the bridge, a 48x48 diamond on both sides of the road about 50 ft before the bridge, and the rectangular sign on the bridge. This was at all bridges, regardless of clearance, for several miles. Street View has not been updated to show this.

I THINK the clearance signs are coming OFF of the bridges themselves. I think the amount of stuff hanging off any Texas bridges is about to be minimized if not eliminated altogether.

What's the rationale for this? 

[bwana39]

On I-20, in the Longview-Marshall area, TxDOT has installed new clearance signs. The pattern is: 1 48x48 diamond on the right about 800 ft before the bridge, a 48x48 diamond on both sides of the road about 50 ft before the bridge, and the rectangular sign on the bridge. This was at all bridges, regardless of clearance, for several miles. Street View has not been updated to show this.

I THINK the clearance signs are coming OFF of the bridges themselves. I think the amount of stuff hanging off any Texas bridges is about to be minimized if not eliminated altogether.

What's the rationale for this?

It is about spalling where the bolts for the mounts are drilled  and water intrusion where the sign and hardware touch the bridge.