Community Forums

wingnuts · 04-28-2018, 01:56 PM

I'm assuming 14ft high is the lowest bridge a class a could make it under. .

Anyone ever encounter a low bridge that you couldn't pass...?

TJDave · 04-28-2018, 02:03 PM

Not in either motorhomes we have had. Many many years ago, when I hauled tall stuff, you could find the low clearance bridges in most atlases. These days, there are apps and GPS for low bridges.

saddlesore · 04-28-2018, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wingnuts

I'm assuming 14ft high is the lowest bridge a class a could make it under. .

Anyone ever encounter a low bridge that you couldn't pass...?

Best answer I have is measure the height of your RV then add 6" just for comfort...
And yes I have seen many bridges/overpasses under 14', but most were on secondary roads or in small towns, and mostly well marked before you get to them..

Cornbinder · 04-28-2018, 02:10 PM

The NE is has hundreds less than 14'. PennDot, for example, builds them to 13"6", the maximum height allowed by the Vehicle Code for trucks. Then a couple years later they resurface with 2" of asphalt to the underpass, but don't change the signs on the bridges!

It a public service to wipe the snow off the tops of the trucks.

UFO Pilot · 04-28-2018, 02:16 PM

I saw quite a few in Eastern States. One was marked 12'6" (no advance warning) and I had to make a decision, unhook, try to turn around, go back a long ways to avoid it. I decided to proceed slowly and listen for my CB antenna to make contact as it is the highest thing on the MH and it is right in front. I made it thru without a problem so the height marked was incorrect. Other low ones (10'6" and a couple of 11' s) I was able to turn around before getting to them.

Cornbinder · 04-28-2018, 02:18 PM

Then there's this one...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USu8vT_tfdw

69Stang · 04-28-2018, 02:20 PM

I ran across one in Crawfordville, Ga. There is a Ga State Park there and there are RR trestles that even my short MH wouldn't fit under. Thankfully, the one I encountered I was able to divert around.

Then I saw this in Atlanta. Not in the MH that time thank goodness.

GBB · 04-28-2018, 02:23 PM

Encountered one, Somewheres around Boerne Tx, couple years ago. An old railroad crossing on a secondary road, no signage warning about it too late to stop. It read 11'8" i'm 11'6""...just ducked when I went under...now I pay attention! Take the truck route.

Bigd9 · 04-28-2018, 02:34 PM

Oh yes....My last coach was 11'8 inches tall. All car traffic was being detoured off the interstate due to a accident. The officer asked me how tall my coach was and I responded 11'8 and he said "you will make it go ahead and follow the cars". I came to an old abandoned railroad bridge overpass with a sign indicating 12' 6" foot clearance. The road dipped down to a low point just under the bridge and then rose up sharply afterwards. We were doing fine going down the road until the front end started to raise up. Then all He(double toothpicks) broke loose. The last girder on the bridge had a piece of rebar dangling down slightly from a previous impact and that rebar hit and damaged the rear air conditioner demolishing the shroud. The noise was horrendous. No not the air conditioner being demolished, but the noise from the person occupying the right hand seat screaming!

beenthere · 04-28-2018, 02:55 PM

most bridges I have seen have markers on bridge if less than 13.6. I'm 13'1" in my rig

hohenwald48 · 04-28-2018, 02:56 PM

I've often thought of installing a camera on top of one of the A/C's just for those close overheads.

If you ever go to James Island County Park near Charleston, SC you know what the low hanging branches look like. There aren't any signs on the tree branches so you don't really know what the clearance is. My roof mounted radio antenna is about 1' higher than the A/Cs and it was banging on just about every branch. It's like a 5 mile drive thru a tunnel of trees that looks to be about 11' but I've seen some pretty tall looking rigs in the park before.

V3600 · 04-28-2018, 03:15 PM

I'm trying to remember where we saw the 5th wheel with both rooftop a/c's demolished.

MisterT · 04-28-2018, 03:29 PM

leaving Chicago's south side at the McCormick Place marshalling yard for an overnight, we headed north on n Lakeshore dr, which turns into W Hollywood dr, and suddenly came upon an overpass, 12' listed on the sign, AFTER we had already come thru the only intersection we could have turned at, had traffic in all lanes around us, and nowhere to 'run'!

Dumped the air bags, and took a chance... we 'barely' made it!
(now, to be truthful, our coach is only 11'9" at it's highest point when in travel mode, anyway...but, you get the picture. Also, while I say I 'dumped the air bags', what I later learned is that 'dumping the bags' ONLY works when you are NOT in gear! and then only for the moment you are not yet IN gear).... but, we made it. Lowest one we've ever seen... Here you go...try it sometime : )

TXTiger · 04-28-2018, 05:09 PM

Not an underpass but several tunnels. If you ever go to the Black Hills of South Dakota and are near Custer State Park or Mt Rushmore do not take Needles Highway or Iron Mt Road (Rt 16A to Mt Rushmore). Both have very narrow and low tunnels that almost every motorhome will NOT fit thru. And there is nowhere to turn around.