Wham! Bam! The Bristol Railroad Bridge Takes Out Another Truck

It's become the new 100th Street bridge as people keep trying to squeeze under it.

The Railroad Bridge At Bristol And Parnell Is A Tight Fit

The bridge, which has been there for 115 years, was smacked again Monday, leaving the area full of debris, and causing yet another insurance claim for a local truck driver.

This post to the Facebook group We Are Westsiders shows the roadway being swept up following the top being taken off a Superior Foods truck which failed to meet the 10 foot minimum height to get under the trestle Monday morning.

The bridge has been the bane of Walker city leaders probably since it was built. In addition to being low, the bridge also only allows one lane to pass under it at a time, with northbound traffic having the right of way. People unfamiliar with the bridge and heading southbound may be oblivious to the stop sign, causing close calls, if not collisions.

Walker Leaders Want To Widen The Roadway

The Walker city engineer, Scott Conners, told WZZM-13 just two months ago about plans to improve the bridge area by widening the road heading under it.

"Everybody has a close call story at this intersection. I even have a few myself," he told the news outlet, "I think most people are glad to see that we're doing something. It's been a long time, the bridge is 115 years old now."

If the city commission approves the plan, construction is set to begin in 2023, with completion in 2024.

In The Meantime, Suggestions About How To Deal With The Bridge Rage On

The comments section of the Facebook post are full of ideas on how to avoid problems with trucks moving forward, suggesting things like "feelers" and warnings before trucks get to the bridge.

How about putting up "feelers" 200 feet away from the underpass. Trucks would hit them first. Make a lot of racket and stop before hitting the immovable object. I know they work as I encountered one at a parking garage. Was able to turn around before any damage to my roof top carrier.

Of course, some commenters just want to be entertained by it:

Can we at least put up a video camera so we get to watch? Like the 11ft bridge?! I live just down the road from here... it's not just trucks that are too tall..it's cars that think it's a 3-way stop or that 2 vehicles can fit at once.

This might not be a bad idea, many cities have low, truck eating bridges, and some have compiled videos of them wrecking havoc. here's one from Durham, NC

This commenter either accidentally or intentionally overshared while explaining that it's human nature to err:

It happens to good people. If you are being rushed or are driving a rental you are not familiar with, or doing a job that is not part of your job description. It can cost you your job which affects your whole familes lives. Same bridge. Only good thing is my husband didn't have to cover for his boss cheating on his wife anymore. It was making him a nervous wrech having to lie. This has been happening for over 40 years. Its about time to redesign this for safety's sake. I am all for historical but this is just not practical when it needs to be used for access.

I'm glad to know the upcoming improvements will help keep some people's jobs intact, but I'm not sure it can do much about cheating bosses, those problems are eternal.

Some feel that maybe the bridge is protecting the west side from the evil of trucks: