NE Trip Report & Low Bridges

richf · 10-21-2008, 07:58 AM

We just returned from a 3 1/2 week trip to UP, Canada and NE U.S. What a great trip, fall foliage was beautiful, weather pretty good and no major problems. 4,000 miles, fuel mileage at 8.5 mpg total average (this is .75 mpg better than when the coach was new).
After buying our Meridian I made a small placard for my dash with my total width and height in inches and feet for quick reference. I've used this info a number of times for peace of mind in when encountering construction zones and low overpasses. I'm cutting across country on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls on a two lane, round a corner and come face to face with this sign: "Low Underpass--3.7m", can't back-up (towing a car, heavy local traffic, etc.). I know my overall height is 144 " (I've got a little extra height because of a vent hood I installed.) Proceeded very slowly, figured I would stop If I heard the plastic hood scraping. Made it through, no problems. That night looked up a metric conversion 3.7 meters equals 145.669 inches!! I must be living right!

richf · 10-21-2008, 07:58 AM

We just returned from a 3 1/2 week trip to UP, Canada and NE U.S. What a great trip, fall foliage was beautiful, weather pretty good and no major problems. 4,000 miles, fuel mileage at 8.5 mpg total average (this is .75 mpg better than when the coach was new).
After buying our Meridian I made a small placard for my dash with my total width and height in inches and feet for quick reference. I've used this info a number of times for peace of mind in when encountering construction zones and low overpasses. I'm cutting across country on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls on a two lane, round a corner and come face to face with this sign: "Low Underpass--3.7m", can't back-up (towing a car, heavy local traffic, etc.). I know my overall height is 144 " (I've got a little extra height because of a vent hood I installed.) Proceeded very slowly, figured I would stop If I heard the plastic hood scraping. Made it through, no problems. That night looked up a metric conversion 3.7 meters equals 145.669 inches!! I must be living right!

KIX · 10-21-2008, 01:01 PM

Good thing they had not repaved the road under the bridge. Sometimes when this happens the signed is not changed.

Wayne M · 10-22-2008, 05:21 AM

Yep! Repaving the road can add up to about 2 inches on each side, but typically they don't repave under the overpass. You'll see, or feel a slight dip as you go under the overpass, but use cement which is longer lasting than asphalt. If it is extended into the under part of the overpass is where the problem will be, as the front cap will get to the overpass before the front wheels do.

Ah, the things we have to watch for!!!!

SteveG · 10-23-2008, 03:48 PM

We were traveling a back road in Georgia and driving out of a small town and my eye just caught the sign that indicated a 11'-6" bridge ahead. This was my first low bridge as we have not often taken advantage of traveling through the countrysides. But we were in no hurry and were determined to take a different path. So my mind saw the sign and and a few wheel turns later it registered!

Fortuantely we were going slow. The bridge was up the road a piece so actually never saw it. Better yet I got it stopped in time to take advantage of the convient intersection so did not get my self trapped into a toad disconnect. A first time memorable experience

Wayne M · 10-23-2008, 03:55 PM

I'm not sure how often this is updated, but I check it every time I get ready to move down a route, or have DW check it along with the Motor Carrier's Road Atlas.

Low Bridge Clearances By State