The Most Dangerous Bridges In The US
The United States has over 614,000 bridges, and almost half of them are over 50 years old. While many are safe, others freak out drivers or threaten to cause wrecks. Some are too high for comfort, others are too narrow, and one has seen so many accidents that it earned the nickname "death highway." Do you have the courage to drive across the most dangerous bridges in the U.S.?
Pulaski Skyway Is New Jersey's "Death Highway"
The Pulaski Skyway is one of the most beautiful bridges in New Jersey, but also one of the most dangerous. It has two 11-foot lanes on each side with a small breakdown lane in the middle, and no shoulders. This narrow drive has given it the nickname "death highway."
Pulaski Skyway is 3.5 miles long and 135 feet over the Passaic and Hackensack rivers. Over 67,000 vehicles cross it every day, and many of them speed. Since it was built in 1930, the Pulaski Skyway has seen hundreds of crashes.
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge In Virginia Frightens Firefighters
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge spans over four miles across the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia. At its highest point, it's 200 feet above the water. Terri Robinson, a driver for Kent Island Express, told Washingtonian that even policemen and firefighters get spooked while crossing the bridge.
The bridge's height is exacerbated by its low railings. Drivers tend to get distracted by the height, only to drift and collide with another vehicle in the two-way traffic. With over 61,000 vehicles per day, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge sees a lot of distracted drivers.
The "Can Opener" Wrecks Trucks In North Carolina
The Norfolk Southern–Gregson Street Overpass has toppled more cars and trucks than any other in North Carolina, granting it the nickname "the Can Opener." The bridge itself is for a railroad in Durham. The danger is not on top of the bridge; it's under it!
The Norfolk Southern–Gregson Overpass is only 11-foot-8-inches high, which was standard when it was built in 1973. Since then, the standard height has risen to 14 feet. This has caused many trucks to ram into the bridge, resulting in many collisions. One hundred and sixty two wrecks have happened there since 2008.
The Old Vicksburg Bridge Might Suffer From Floods
The Old Vicksburg Bridge is one of the many bridges that cross the Mississippi River in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Since the river tends to flood, all of these bridges are risky, especially for barges. But the Old Vicksburg Bridge is especially bad. This bridge has been closed many times to make it strong enough for cars, the last time being in 1998. Since the bridge was turned into a railroad bridge and a New Vicksburg Bridge for motor vehicles was opened just down the river.
Part of this is due to the extreme weather that cracks the bridge. When the bridge freezes over, automobile accidents occur. And when the river floods, a boat can ram right into the bridge!
Florida's Pensacola Bay Bridge Got Beaten By A Hurricane
The Pensacola Bay Bridge was relatively normal until Hurricane Sally hit in September 2020. This hurricane caused so much damage that the bridge closed for over a year. When officials first examined the bridge after Hurricane Sally, they found that four piers had been turned, one was cracked, and 30 spans were damaged.
By March 2021, officials found that Pensacola Bay Bridge was more damaged than previously thought. After being delayed for months, this bridge opened again on May 28th, 2021, and there hasn't been notable damage since.
The Sarah Mildred Long Bridge Swings When You Drive Across
Maine is notorious for its dangerous bridges; it has the sixth-worst bridges in the nation, according to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association. One of the worst--and most popular--is the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge that crosses the Piscataqua River. Drivers have reported a "wavy" feeling while crossing this unstable bridge.
In 2018, officials reopened it after repairs, claiming that it is now safe. But some people are still concerned about crossing this 2,800-foot-long bridge. The Sarah Mildred Long Bridge sees over 20,000 vehicles per day, and it stands 300 feet above the water. There have been no issues since these repairs, and the bridge was recognized in 2019 with a Most Outstanding Engineering Achievement for the work.
Michigan's Mackinac Bridge Has Rough Winds
The Mackinac Bridge, which connects Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas, might not seem as dangerous as other bridges. It has no hills or sharp turns. However, its danger factor comes from the wind, which whips by at 30 miles per hour.
These winds can easily push cars, which shocks many drivers. At 26,372 feet long and 200 feet high, the Mackinac Bridge is no cakewalk. Drivers have to grip the wheel and focus if they don't want their car to slide over ten feet.
Connecticut's Yankee Doodle Bridge Desperately Needs Repairs
In 2019, MSN conducted several studies on the bridges in America. Connecticut's most dangerous bridge was the Yankee Doodle Bridge in Fairfield County. This bridge, which crosses the Norwalk River on Interstate 95, is in desperate need of repairs.
Connecticut has some of the worst bridge conditions in the country, and Yankee Doodle Bridge is the worst. Since 145,000 vehicles cross the bridge every day, some residents worry that it will eventually collapse. Fortunately, the state is working on repairing its many bridges.
Strong Winds Move The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge In New York
Truckers dread crossing the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, which connects New York City to Staten Island. This bridge has no fences, and strong winds make it sway back in forth. In 2020, officials had to close the bridge because it was swinging too much.
Drivers in trucks and other large vehicles worry about tipping over somewhere along the 13,700-foot bridge. In March 2021, New York finally worked to install security fencing that prevents people from falling off of Verrazzano-Narrows. But that doesn't stop the swaying and violent winds.
