Community Forums

Jet2RV · 12-12-2020, 04:11 PM

I'll be driving through Alpine and see a low clearance RR bridge of 13'7" that has me a bit concerned. Anyone familiar with it and a good way around it? Google looks like there might be a surface street through residential that avoids it (Mosley Loop).

wiredgeorge · 12-12-2020, 05:08 PM

What is the address of the overpass? I am kind of familiar with Alpine having gone through there a number of times and don't recall a low clearance RR bridge.

Jet2RV · 12-12-2020, 07:23 PM

This is just on the west side of town.

Arch Hoagland · 12-12-2020, 08:15 PM

Jet2RV....what is the exact height of your RV?

I put a 10 foot 2X4 across the highest air conditioner on my roof with a level on it and measured my exact height.

Then I put a label on the inside of my windshield with my measured height of 12 feet so I'd know for sure in case my brain went dead. It's actually 11'11" so 12' is good.

Interstate highway clearance requires overpasses etc to be at least 13' 6" so that railroad is within spec but I too would at least slow down a bit.

Jkjavelin · 12-13-2020, 09:23 AM

We went through Alpine last February with our 13'3" fifth wheel. There's another street parallel to that one a block away without a bridge IIRC.... track crosses at ground level.
JK

David 70 · 12-13-2020, 09:28 AM

13'7" is above legal height of 13'6" so if you are taller than that you are not legal.

TXiceman · 12-13-2020, 10:01 AM

Even if the bridge is posted 13'-7", how do you know that the road was not resurfaced and the sign not corrected. Resurfacing can add 1" to 2" more pavement, thus the bridge might be 13'-5" now.

We had some equipment get the top scraped because the bridge was actually 2" lower than the posted sign.

Ken

Jet2RV · 12-13-2020, 11:28 AM

Since JkJavelin has confirmed an alternate route, we won't be testing the accuracy of the sign.

URTHllc · 12-17-2020, 02:07 PM

I can speak from experience about the inaccuracy of the signs at times my dads insurance paid for an overpass on I45 near Dallas because they had recently paved the interstate. We were hauling a oil field tank and had even gotten an oversized permit from txdot who routed us. And no they didn’t accept an fault for routing us incorrectly

David 70 · 12-17-2020, 03:08 PM

Yep. They tell you ere to go and how to drive but it's not their fault.

twogypsies · 12-17-2020, 03:14 PM

Hwy 90 is a very popular route for truckers and RVers. We were on it with our 40' MH.

Arch Hoagland · 12-17-2020, 03:28 PM

In California a lot of the overpasses have concrete underneath them even though the road is blacktop.

When they resurface the blacktop nothing is done to the concrete so the clearance remains the same.

I imagine it requires some extra effort tapering it so there isn't a big bump.

Mile Marker 42 · 12-17-2020, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jet2RV

I'll be driving through Alpine and see a low clearance RR bridge of 13'7" that has me a bit concerned. Anyone familiar with it and a good way around it? Google looks like there might be a surface street through residential that avoids it (Mosley Loop).

You need to know for sure what is your minimum bridge height that you can clear. It's a must. Mine is 12.5 and I can never forget that. We were in wyoming a few years ago and I pulled into a street where I could see a bridge ahead that said caution, bridge ahead 11.9 ft. I immediately stopped. We had our tow car connected. My wife says, why did you stop, I said because we can't fit through. She asked how I know that. I just explained, that I know. It took 20 mins because I had to unhook tow car and have my older son direct traffic around us as I backed up. Total pain in the rear, but we'll worth it. You need to know your height before traveling.