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Author Topic: "Rat bridge"  (Read 1374 times)

hbelkins

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"Rat bridge"
« on: April 07, 2022, 10:32:44 AM »

My dad had an unusual term for metal-deck bridges. He called them "rat bridges." There was one about four miles from our house but it was replaced in 1985 with the standard generic concrete bridge you see everywhere now.

The two most well-known metal-deck bridges in Kentucky are the "Singing Bridge" in downtown Frankfort and the US 45 bridge crossing the Ohio River.

I never knew why my dad called them "rat bridges" and I can't ask him. Has anyone else ever heard this term?
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webny99

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Re: "Rat bridge"
« Reply #1 on: April 07, 2022, 12:07:00 PM »

I've heard of a rat race, but never a rat bridge.

Holes big enough for a rat to slip through, I suppose?
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Rothman

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Re: "Rat bridge"
« Reply #2 on: April 07, 2022, 12:11:47 PM »

Nope.  I'll ask my mother if she has, though.
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Dirt Roads

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Re: "Rat bridge"
« Reply #3 on: April 07, 2022, 01:21:40 PM »

Never seen a "rat bridge"?  They make them for mouse and hamster habitats.  The really old ones have alternating planks and gaps just like old fashioned "swinging bridges", but newer ones look more like a crocheted netting with square or hexagonal weave pattern.  I'm not sure where I first saw one, since I've never been around any rats/mice except out in the wild (and down in the subways).
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triplemultiplex

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Re: "Rat bridge"
« Reply #4 on: April 07, 2022, 02:39:01 PM »

I'm picturing a bridge literally made out of rats; like maybe holding each other's tails in their mouths. :-D
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mgk920

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Re: "Rat bridge"
« Reply #5 on: April 08, 2022, 12:29:19 AM »

The main railroad heading southward out of Cincinnati, OH is called the 'Rathole' line, after its string of long since 'daylighted' tunnels.

Mike
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Mapmikey

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Re: "Rat bridge"
« Reply #6 on: April 10, 2022, 09:08:19 AM »

Rat bridges would be suitable for roadent traffic.
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Flint1979

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Re: "Rat bridge"
« Reply #7 on: April 10, 2022, 10:48:43 AM »

After reading the first paragraph of your post the Brookport Bridge was the first one that came to mind. Considering I've crossed the Ohio River there before I remember the blue steel grate narrow bridge real well. I had used I-24 to get from Kentucky to Illinois and then got off and my GPS took me down US-45 and as I was approching the Brookport Bridge I remembered it being discussed in here and couldn't remember exactly what it was about the bridge that had been mentioned in here before then I see this yellow and black sign saying steel bridge deck ahead attention motorcyclists and a 25 mph speed limit sign. I stayed at the 25 mph speed limit the entire time across the bridge too.

The inner lane of the suspension part of the Mackinac Bridge was the second bridge to come to mind.
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kalvado

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Re: "Rat bridge"
« Reply #8 on: April 10, 2022, 10:52:34 AM »

Could it be shortened from rattle bridge due to the noise wheels make on these grates?
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Hobart

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Re: "Rat bridge"
« Reply #9 on: April 10, 2022, 05:08:33 PM »

I haven't heard this term, but I know some of the bridges with metal grates do look kind of ratty as they get really old.

An example that comes to mind is the Savanna-Sabula bridge, now replaced. It had metal grates on its entire deck, was rather scary to drive over, but also (in my opinion) very cool. They tried to sell it on eBay but nobody bought it, so they replaced it.

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.1042596,-90.1578111,3a,54.2y,290.04h,95.2t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sGj41oxildNta0en3GvxBKw!2e0!5s20110801T000000!7i13312!8i6656
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