Looking around Austin on Google Maps, I found this:
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Luckenbach,+Gillespie,+Texas+78624&hl=en&ll=30.378253,-97.778968&spn=0.0027,0.003664&sll=30.682802,-98.334503&sspn=0.974343,1.875916&t=h&geocode=FZCIzAEdphUd-g&hnear=Luckenbach&z=19&layer=c&cbll=30.378253,-97.778968&panoid=LeI6W8DO3qzmDp3v0_TtPA&cbp=12,109.64,,0,20.36
Anyone else have any fords near them?
Poor oxen.
I believe the only one I've ever been through is the one on one of the Yorktown Battlefield tour roads at Colonial National Historical Park in VA:
Best picture I can find of it (no streetview): http://lcweb2.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/va/va1700/va1761/photos/369076pv.jpg
Location: http://goo.gl/maps/vYmeg
I've driven a few fords in my time, but most of them were dry at the time. The one closest to me that I've driven is this one (http://goo.gl/maps/Mz9vY) near Fall River Lake.
The most fun was a temporary routing of the federal highway between Puerto Vallarta and Mascota, Jalisco. What had once been an unpaved mountain road was then a two-lane paved highway, except they were still in the process of constructing the Puente Progreso near San Sebastián. As I recollect, this was the ford (http://goo.gl/maps/bkeqQ); yes, there was water in it, and we were in a rental car (a Chevrolet Chevy, AKA Opal Corsa). The super-steep incline up to the highway from the riverbed was also quite fun.
HI 450 and HI 460 on Molokai island each have a ford, so the western and eastern ends of the island are cut off from the rest of the island after heavy rains.
Here's a photo of the one on HI 450 (part of the ford on the left, warning sign on the right):
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hawaiihighways.com%2Fmolokai-ford-crossing-large.jpg&hash=a1b541e6476deffa683c3bb02e868a6eb8053e55)
There's one in Robert Treman State Park near Ithaca, NY.
Here's one we drove in Ireland...
http://goo.gl/maps/7cHBB
There are a couple around here I use with some frequency, because the roads form a more direct connection between highways. One of them is is here http://goo.gl/maps/E4kQe (http://goo.gl/maps/E4kQe) There's no Street View, but you can see the water flowing over the road. That crossing is often dry and rarely has more than an inch or two of water. That's where Station Branch crosses Johnson County Road 1233A, which connects Godley and Acton.
There are quite a few fords even along highways in western Texas, where the draws and even rivers are usually dry. Here's one along SH 163 at one of the crossings of the Devil's River. I once drove into about 6 inches of water there at night. I was going about 50 and nearly instantly was slowed to about 30 upon hitting the water. I then decreased speed more. The previous crossing to the south has a bridge, and I didn't know there had been rain upstream, so I didn't expect water to be running. I'm just glad the water was only 6 inches and not 3 feet. It's very dark there at night. I learned my lesson about assuming those crossings will be dry. http://goo.gl/maps/DZh1K (http://goo.gl/maps/DZh1K)
Yeah, Arizona has them in several places- where roads cross washbeds they just leave the bed untouched. 83 south of 82 comes to mind as having a bunch of them.
Not really a ford per se, but a low-water-crossing favorite of mine is SR 624 across the Shenandoah near Front Royal, VA.
There's a few fords I've been through...one on some backroad in Montgomery County, MD (can't for the life of me remember where or which road) and there's a couple on the next "mountain crossing" north of US 33 on the WV side of the WV/VA state line. Might also be one in Loudoun or Fauquier Counties that I'm not remembering.
Drove this about 10 years ago, and they've since been replaced with culverts. Picture is tiny, but they re-graveled it before that article was written. When I passed through (and for the life of me I'm not sure why I did or how I didn't tear up my car) there was a 12-18 inch deep trench through the road due to lack of upkeep.
http://archives.mountaintimes.com/mtweekly/2004/0812/jakesmtn.php3 (http://archives.mountaintimes.com/mtweekly/2004/0812/jakesmtn.php3)
Quote from: froggie on May 28, 2013, 03:05:47 AM
There's a few fords I've been through...one on some backroad in Montgomery County, MD (can't for the life of me remember where or which road)
West Old Baltimore Road near Boyds, west of Md. 121, not especially far from I-270.
Google Maps here (https://maps.google.com/maps?q=boyds+md&ll=39.217708,-77.316778&spn=0.009359,0.01929&hnear=Boyds,+Montgomery,+Maryland&gl=us&t=m&z=16). GSV here (https://maps.google.com/maps?q=boyds+md&ll=39.217645,-77.316725&spn=0.009359,0.01929&hnear=Boyds,+Montgomery,+Maryland&gl=us&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=39.217645,-77.316725&panoid=BOvgz4Oxn7VGEgoadOKbUQ&cbp=12,337.37,,0,12.81) (
apparently the driver of the Google vehicle was unwilling to cross the stream).
Not so far away, there used to be a few fords in Little Bennett Regional Park, but I believe the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (the bicounty agency which owns and runs most parks in Montgomery and Prince George's Counties) has closed-off those roads.
There were once several fords along Beach Drive, N.W. in Rock Creek Park in the District of Columbia, but they went away when Beach Drive was relocated through the Zoo Tunnel in the 1960's.
Quote from: NE2 on May 27, 2013, 12:11:31 PM
Poor oxen.
Someone
has to acknowledge this solid reference to Oregon Trail. I'll be that person.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.howtogeek.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2007%2F09%2Fimage101.png&hash=4a87c73bb19d2313b8f16a0307c0e6c7b3530c5f)
Quote from: wxfree on May 27, 2013, 11:28:53 PM
There are a couple around here I use with some frequency, because the roads form a more direct connection between highways. One of them is is here http://goo.gl/maps/E4kQe (http://goo.gl/maps/E4kQe) There's no Street View, but you can see the water flowing over the road. That crossing is often dry and rarely has more than an inch or two of water. That's where Station Branch crosses Johnson County Road 1233A, which connects Godley and Acton.
There are quite a few fords even along highways in western Texas, where the draws and even rivers are usually dry. Here's one along SH 163 at one of the crossings of the Devil's River. I once drove into about 6 inches of water there at night. I was going about 50 and nearly instantly was slowed to about 30 upon hitting the water. I then decreased speed more. The previous crossing to the south has a bridge, and I didn't know there had been rain upstream, so I didn't expect water to be running. I'm just glad the water was only 6 inches and not 3 feet. It's very dark there at night. I learned my lesson about assuming those crossings will be dry. http://goo.gl/maps/DZh1K (http://goo.gl/maps/DZh1K)
Those intermittent drainage features in the southwest are referred to as "arroyos" - normally dry but can be devastating to cross in a flash flood situation. At least in west Texas, there are staff gauges along some of the crossings that allow you to determine the often deceptive depth of the flowing water.
Sand Run Parkway (http://goo.gl/maps/PMGTy) across the eponymous stream in Akron. Sometimes ride through on my bike but the bumpiness of the concrete to both sides of the ford itself is very jarring.
Not surprisingly, the ford is closed in icy weather and in high water conditions.
The highway to Cape Tribulation in Qeensland has a number of what I suppose would be similar to arroyos. They were dry when I was there. The bridges up there were even designed to be flooded over.
Other than that, I've only ever really seen them on backcountry roads like you'd find in a National Forest.
Quote from: oscar on May 27, 2013, 07:55:10 PM
HI 450 and HI 460 on Molokai island each have a ford, so the western and eastern ends of the island are cut off from the rest of the island after heavy rains.
Here's a photo of the one on HI 450 (part of the ford on the left, warning sign on the right):
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hawaiihighways.com%2Fmolokai-ford-crossing-large.jpg&hash=a1b541e6476deffa683c3bb02e868a6eb8053e55)
And HI 560:
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsroads.net%2Froads%2Fhi%2Fhi_560%2Festream1.jpg&hash=a58221bcedaff7506f134e9a1177f6f66b3aac7d)
My mother-in-law rented a house near Maggie Valley NC a few years ago. Going up the Mountain we had to ford a small stream. The rental car agreement said we could not go off-roading so I was glad we didn't get stuck or anything
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimageshack.us%2Fa%2Fimg266%2F7094%2Fbugoisdead.jpg&hash=28b4e729fa1d01c26992f53c0cb4069453b9f47d)
Poor Bugo (aka Jeremy L.)
I know of another ford in the road in Whiteford, Harford County, Maryland: Tabernacle Road, just north of Broad Creek Memorial Scout Reservation
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Tabernacle+Road,+Whiteford,+Maryland&hl=en&ll=39.699873,-76.2743&spn=0.007099,0.013797&sll=38.804821,-77.236967&sspn=1.840674,3.532104&oq=tabernacle+road,+mary&hnear=Tabernacle+Rd,+Whiteford,+Harford,+Maryland+21160&t=m&z=16
I've always wanted to go through this ford (or a ford in general) but since I've been in a flash flood and was on the news for it (NBC Washington 4), I'm incredibly leery of crossing one myself or in my vehicle.
This isn't a ford, but Maple Dam Road runs through the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Dorchester County, and is frequently flooded out. This picture doesn't do it justice - the day that I went, I turned around out of fear that I would get my car stuck.
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Harriet+Tubman+Birthplace,+13,+Bucktown,+MD&hl=en&ll=38.392624,-76.06601&spn=0.003616,0.006899&sll=38.726769,-76.16066&sspn=0.230342,0.441513&oq=harriet+&hq=Harriet+Tubman+Birthplace,&hnear=13,+Bucktown,+Dorchester,+Maryland&t=m&z=17&layer=c&cbll=38.392977,-76.065957&panoid=hsHnGveLoX6UQ6o6t2wJ0Q&cbp=12,9.17,,0,8.85
The only one I know of in Louisiana is a low water bridge over-crossing of Bayou Sara on Solitude Road near St Francisville.
I don't think we have any on state highways in SD, but there are a lot on county roads.
Arizona 83 has a couple south of SR 82 and I know there are a couple of other spots on the AZ highway system, but none are coming to me off the top of my head
Thought of this thread today when we were on a back road in Loudoun County, Virginia, and stumbled upon a sign for a ford. Unfortunately I didn't have the time to go check it out, though after getting home I wished I had said "screw it" and checked it out anyway....seems I somehow drove through horse manure somewhere because my driver's side wheel well was coated in horse crap and our garage smelled like the Elephant House at the National Zoo (resulting in my spending half an hour out in the dark tonight hosing it out).
Anyway, we were going north on St. Louis Road (Secondary Route 611) when I saw a sign around a corner warning of a ford some distance ahead that would be impassable following rain or other periods of high water. The ford is on Jeb Stuart Road. No Street View, unfortunately, and the satellite view is lacking, but here's the link to where the intersection is if anyone happens to be out that way and wants to check it out: http://goo.gl/maps/YM50g
Never seen one in this country. Is there an MUTCD sign for "ford"?
Quote from: 1995hoo on October 19, 2014, 09:32:45 PM
Anyway, we were going north on St. Louis Road (Secondary Route 611) when I saw a sign around a corner warning of a ford some distance ahead that would be impassable following rain or other periods of high water. The ford is on Jeb Stuart Road. No Street View, unfortunately, and the satellite view is lacking, but here's the link to where the intersection is if anyone happens to be out that way and wants to check it out: http://goo.gl/maps/YM50g
Found a photo: http://www.loudounroadrunners.org/lrr/run_maps/Philomont_Alternate.pdf
Quote from: Pete from Boston on October 19, 2014, 09:43:52 PM
Never seen one in this country. Is there an MUTCD sign for "ford"?
I don't think so. http://d2dtl5nnlpfr0r.cloudfront.net/tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-6262-1.pdf page 26 lists what some states use.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2221374/Villagers-fed-people-blindly-following-instructions-dangerous-ford-come-novel-deterrent.html :bigass:
Quote from: Pete from Boston on October 19, 2014, 09:43:52 PM
Never seen one in this country. Is there an MUTCD sign for "ford"?
I doubt it. This was a big yellow sign with black text warning of a ford a short distance ahead and stating it might be impassable. Next time we're back that way I'll try to get a photo, though I have no idea when that might be. This was the first time I'd ever been on that road. We were going from a winery near Linden to Tysons Corner and I wanted to find a new route.
Quote from: NE2 on October 19, 2014, 09:46:39 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on October 19, 2014, 09:32:45 PM
Anyway, we were going north on St. Louis Road (Secondary Route 611) when I saw a sign around a corner warning of a ford some distance ahead that would be impassable following rain or other periods of high water. The ford is on Jeb Stuart Road. No Street View, unfortunately, and the satellite view is lacking, but here's the link to where the intersection is if anyone happens to be out that way and wants to check it out: http://goo.gl/maps/YM50g
Found a photo: http://www.loudounroadrunners.org/lrr/run_maps/Philomont_Alternate.pdf
Thanks. Sure sounds like the right place based on the directions.
It's interesting to see Google Maps shows it as though the road is in disconnected pieces–their graphic is similar to what they use when there's solely a pedestrian connection.
The only fords I've ever encountered were at White Pines Forest State Park in Illinois. (There's no street view there either, but Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Pines_Forest_State_Park) has a picture.)
The only ford I have been over is the one on SR 7 in Indiana.
I'm not quite sure of its exact location but Wikipedia says its near Dupont, IN.
Quote from: PurdueBill on June 08, 2013, 10:55:15 PM
Sand Run Parkway (http://goo.gl/maps/PMGTy) across the eponymous stream in Akron. Sometimes ride through on my bike but the bumpiness of the concrete to both sides of the ford itself is very jarring.
Not surprisingly, the ford is closed in icy weather and in high water conditions.
That one was a blast to drive thru at or above the 20 MPH speed limit when no one was around!
There are also a few fords further north in the Cleveland Metroparks system mostly on the west side of Cleveland. Over the years they have built the fords high enough that you very rarely touch water when crossing the fords, but the rangers will close the fords during high water and/or heavy rains.
There is this one on the campus of the York College of PA, that I found when I visited a friend there a number of years ago:
https://www.google.com/maps?ll=39.948191,-76.728162&spn=0.000004,0.00327&t=m&z=19&layer=c&cbll=39.948269,-76.728577&panoid=NsZGB0ZdMEjNSjK02hvxIA&cbp=12,217.79,,0,10.8 (https://www.google.com/maps?ll=39.948191,-76.728162&spn=0.000004,0.00327&t=m&z=19&layer=c&cbll=39.948269,-76.728577&panoid=NsZGB0ZdMEjNSjK02hvxIA&cbp=12,217.79,,0,10.8)
Quote from: billtm on October 19, 2014, 10:45:28 PM
The only ford I have been over is the one on SR 7 in Indiana.
I'm not quite sure of its exact location but Wikipedia says its near Dupont, IN.
How long ago was this?
https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=1895
State 127 between Death Valley Junction and Shoshone has at least one ford, though rarely active. While that is only one I can come up with right now, California certainly has a few on State highways.
There are some on AR 926 between US 270 and Lake Ouachita.
Quote from: NE2 on October 19, 2014, 11:36:46 PM
Quote from: billtm on October 19, 2014, 10:45:28 PM
The only ford I have been over is the one on SR 7 in Indiana.
I'm not quite sure of its exact location but Wikipedia says its near Dupont, IN.
How long ago was this?
https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=1895
Oh crud! Reading that thread just (might've) sparked my memory! This was 5 years ago, so my memory is hazy. After I convinced my parents to clinch IN-7, (Well, almost. We didn't go on the part from US-31 to IN-46 south of Columbus.) I read the route's Wikipedia page. I was expecting a ford, but I never go to go on one. I was very disappointed afterwards. :-( But looking at the satellite imagery on GMaps it look like the ford is here: http://goo.gl/maps/w6Va8 (http://goo.gl/maps/w6Va8)
Quote from: billtm on October 22, 2014, 10:43:53 PM
But looking at the satellite imagery on GMaps it look like the ford is here: http://goo.gl/maps/w6Va8 (http://goo.gl/maps/w6Va8)
Doubtful. That piece of old alignment was bypassed before 1960 (per USGS topo).
Kansas has several fords, but AFAIK none of them are on the state highway system. The ford I know best is on the approach road to Alcove Spring, but I cannot find it on satellite imagery and wonder if it has been abandoned.
In Arizona, besides the low-water crossings Corco mentioned on SR 82 and SR 83, both SR 86 and SR 181 (the road to Chiricahua National Monument) have low-water crossings. I have driven over them when they had water running over them, but only because there was a rainstorm on one of the days I visited in 1998.
Flood warning signs and gauges are used quite extensively on US 385 between Fort Stockton and Big Bend National Park in Texas.
Quote from: NE2 on October 22, 2014, 10:57:30 PM
Quote from: billtm on October 22, 2014, 10:43:53 PM
But looking at the satellite imagery on GMaps it look like the ford is here: http://goo.gl/maps/w6Va8 (http://goo.gl/maps/w6Va8)
Doubtful. That piece of old alignment was bypassed before 1960 (per USGS topo).
Yep. Well I'm stumped. :confused:
In any case, I removed that crap from the Wikipedia articles.
Quote from: billtm on October 24, 2014, 12:05:04 AM
Quote from: NE2 on October 22, 2014, 10:57:30 PM
Quote from: billtm on October 22, 2014, 10:43:53 PM
But looking at the satellite imagery on GMaps it look like the ford is here: http://goo.gl/maps/w6Va8 (http://goo.gl/maps/w6Va8)
Doubtful. That piece of old alignment was bypassed before 1960 (per USGS topo).
Yep. Well I'm stumped. :confused:
Pretty sure it's here (https://www.google.com/maps/place/38%C2%B053%2724.1%22N+85%C2%B031%2723.5%22W/@38.8394251,-85.4914693,776m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0), given the placement of utility poles. Could be the next bridge north.
Quote from: cl94 on October 24, 2014, 04:36:56 PM
Pretty sure it's here (https://www.google.com/maps/place/38%C2%B053%2724.1%22N+85%C2%B031%2723.5%22W/@38.8394251,-85.4914693,776m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0), given the placement of utility poles. Could be the next bridge north.
Bridge date of 1977. http://uglybridges.com/in/jefferson/exhibit/
Quote from: NE2 on October 24, 2014, 06:18:05 PM
Quote from: cl94 on October 24, 2014, 04:36:56 PM
Pretty sure it's here (https://www.google.com/maps/place/38%C2%B053%2724.1%22N+85%C2%B031%2723.5%22W/@38.8394251,-85.4914693,776m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0), given the placement of utility poles. Could be the next bridge north.
Bridge date of 1977. http://uglybridges.com/in/jefferson/exhibit/
Looking at the topo maps, the creek seems to have banks that are too steep for a ford.
Or here (https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8592445,-85.5185294,283m/data=!3m1!1e3)
Quote from: cl94 on October 26, 2014, 10:05:06 PM
Or here (https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8592445,-85.5185294,283m/data=!3m1!1e3)
Bridge date of 1984. I'm suspecting this is a big hoax.
Quote from: NE2 on October 26, 2014, 10:18:23 PM
Quote from: cl94 on October 26, 2014, 10:05:06 PM
Or here (https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8592445,-85.5185294,283m/data=!3m1!1e3)
Bridge date of 1984. I'm suspecting this is a big hoax.
Found who put in the thing about the ford (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indiana_State_Road_7&diff=142912137&oldid=138443097). Here's his user page if someone wants to complain (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Scottandrewhutchins).
Quote from: cl94 on October 26, 2014, 10:24:27 PM
Quote from: NE2 on October 26, 2014, 10:18:23 PM
Quote from: cl94 on October 26, 2014, 10:05:06 PM
Or here (https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8592445,-85.5185294,283m/data=!3m1!1e3)
Bridge date of 1984. I'm suspecting this is a big hoax.
Found who put in the thing about the ford (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indiana_State_Road_7&diff=142912137&oldid=138443097). Here's his user page if someone wants to complain (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Scottandrewhutchins).
Ahem. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Scottandrewhutchins#Ford_near_Dupont.2C_Indiana.3F)
Mystery probably solved. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:NE2#Ford_on_Route_7_near_Dupont)
Seems legit. :nod:
Quote from: billtm on November 10, 2014, 05:08:36 PM
Seems legit. :nod:
not sure if sarcasm
or unironic use of :nod:
Its unironic use of :nod: