Narrow Bridges/ Bridges With Weight Limits

[MoFro]

I will soon be starting a six month tour of the US and Canada, and will be travelling in a Winnebago Sunstar which is quite big. While I will be on the major routes quite a lot, I also intend to take it off the beaten track. So I’m a little worried about bridges or underpasses with width and weight restrictions.

I have a low clearance POI database, but can’t find anything for narrow bridges or bridges with weight limits. If anyone knows of any (in the US or Canada), I would be most grateful if you could post the coordinates here.

Many thanks.

 

 

 

[manholt]

You have every right to be!  My coach told me after a year, to go back to the pool.  I loved swimming, freestyle and back stroke.  Then I ended my last 2 years, as center and goal keeper in water polo!  Just plain and simple did not like basketball...expect your son felt the same!  Hard to go against "Peer" pressure! 

[rsbilledwards]

Good for you Herman!!!

 

BillE

[wildebill308]

22 hours ago, rsbilledwards said:

Thank you Wildebill, I will put Corning on the list. We will not see Niagara Falls as we have been there before and yes very good but will do the Canadian side another time. Passport you bet never know!  We looked into the easy pass, it has to be a commercial account! Not really al that big a deal but we are not big on the freeways. Secondary roads are more favored and between the MC atlas and the 760 I think we should do OK. We will be in Harrisburg if we change our minds and find using the Turnpike favorable. I have been on it before with a deadline and nice. I will be pretty long with the trailer toad and the 24 foot trailer so attention will be the order of the day! 

BillE

They told me the same thing but I used a "walk in" store and didn't have to have a commercial account. You might check for walk in stores in Ohio. I  don't necessarily like freeways but in the North East you will wear yourself out trying to get anywhere on Secondary roads.

Bill 

[MoFro]

Thanks for all your suggestions. I have the Rand McNally atlas which is useful, but I was thinking more along the lines of a POI database or a website with a list of locations so I could make my own. Failing that, if anyone knows of a narrow bridge location I would very much appreciate it if you could share.

Regarding lowclearances.com, has anyone used their bridge height data?

[wayne77590]

The America's Independent Truckers Association (AITA) has been on-line for years. I have found it to be one of the better sites for traveling.  I hope the link helps you. I'm in WA state right now so that is what comes up but just scroll up to change states.

p.s., Nothing is 100% assured so pay attention to the yellow low clearance signs.  The AITA site has been accurate for my travels but one never knows.  Also it has been reported that resurfacing the roadway can raise the entrance and exit to the underpass by an inch or two. Typically the underpass surface is cement whereas the approaches are blacktop.  If the sign says 13' 6" and you are 13' 5" - well pay attention and maybe go around.

p.p.s., There are no listings for low clearances in Texas on the AITA site but if you Google search for the words 'Texas Low Clearances' you can get a district by district listing and I can tell you that there are low clearances in Texas.  Any other state that is missing from the AITA site can be search the say way, just to be sure.

It wouldn't hurt to search individually for each state for back up confirmation of the AITA site.

What's that old saying, "Buyer Beware?" Well the internet is a good searching tool but it is not always accurate.

[manholt]

Info out is based on the legitimacy of info in!  It's always a good idea to cross reference, especially if you need up to date accuracy!

Carl    

[hermanmullins]

One thing I learned from a Friend's experience. Always go very slow when you go under an overpass that goes down and under.

He saw the sign and knew he could make it. What he didn't account for was the storm drain where his front end dipped down and the rear end came up and his rear A/C came OFF. 

Was he going too fast, most likely. Was he not paying attention probably. Did I learn from his experience most definitely.

Herman 

[manholt]

Think he did too..  We have a lot of them in Texas, both on Freeway's and secondary roads...Kilgore, TX., Hwy 135, under RR track, comes  to mind. They resurfaced into and out off, but not under overpass, so you have a 2" lip on each side, also it goes from 2 lanes to 1 and I'm not the most popular person on the road, as I take it at 10mph!  Last time I was there, I thankfully was going North and could go around  the circle, as there was a 18 wheeler holding up the RR Bridge!  South bound was stuck for many hours!  

Pecos, TX., has a reverse hump over RR tracks on Hwy 285.  There is a rain drain on each side and I have seen 18 wheelers and RV's loose their rear axels there!

[jleamont]

Wow, this is an interesting topic. I will agree watch your head up here!! Many covered bridges and just low bridges.

We watched a guy in a C (old Ford E series from the 80's) cross a covered bridge next to a CG, while the bridge opening was tall enough the sign hanging on the chains was lower, when he entered you could hear it drag all the way across his roof as he entered, I guess he thought he was going to get stuck, all we herd was the 4bbl open up and he shot out the other side, I don't remember ever laughing that hard since . Saw him the next day on our morning walk in the CG he broke the AC cover and the roof vent max air covers. He got lucky! we still laugh about that. He was also over loaded on that bridge, weight limit was only 3 tons .

Carl, I'm not sure you can walk down the roads up here without a helmet .

 

[rsbilledwards]

I will heed the advice.!! September is almost here and we'll be on the road again!.

 

BillE

[jleamont]

Bill, stay on interstates. State routes should be OK. If under 13'6" it's posted with the route for you to take. In PA anyway. Watch Connecticut...interstates no problem, other than that 

I will often route out our trip, Google street view and click my way down the road, especially if I see railroad tracks. You can usually see the height signs. Streams, creeks and rivers on back roads, I will also check weight ratings on the bridge.  A little pre planning can make the trip much more pleasant.

[wolfe10]

Dianne uses allstays camp&RV. Low clearance is one of the filters.

[jleamont]

Thanks Brett, I will pass that onto my DW.

[rsbilledwards]

Unfortunately I am not much of an interstate traveler. I like the secondary roads. Guess I will have some adjustments and Janet wil have to learn how to navigate more efficiently. One aid in this is our coach is only 11' 9' tall, a shortie in the big scheme of things. I know from the racing days there is no substitute for seat time, mlies around the track and on that score I have, compared to many of you, coach seat time, is limited and driving in the EAST very limited so I will accept being a "newbie". I am not going to Connecticut and will spend very limited time there in the future. This trip Ohio, Penn, and Southern New York.

Thanks,

BillE