Alert: I am about to go off the beaten path once more…
While doing a recent search for updates on barrier gates I ran across an interesting article on, of all places, FreightWaves. On January 25th they ran an article called “America’s scariest bridges for truckers: Part 5” which alone is unremarkable. What did that have to do with barrier gates?
I read on to learn: “Based on comments posted to the FreightWaves Facebook page, there are (four in the article) more bridges that wrack the nerves of some truckers and other drivers, especially during rough weather.”
I wanted to find out more about the Burlington-Bristol Bridge and its barrier gates. There is a very boring five-minute video on the page that follows a large cargo ship as it approaches and passes under the bridge. It is followed by two tug boats. Still no barrier gates, however.
A truck driver was quoted “Burlington-Bristol Bridge sucks! It’s a very tight bridge — lots of mirrors get taken off. It’s horrible.” In lieu of that previously mentioned footage, I include the above video which gives some indication as to why the bridge is scary to truck drivers.
Ignore the first 2:20 of the video and watch as the car approaches and travels over the bridge. The lanes are quite narrow on the 2,301-foot journey. When the video was made there were no barrier bars in place to alert approaching drivers if the bridge was going up or down. There is a sign up in the girders which is hard to spot which says ‘STOP: BRIDGE OPENING’. It is hidden from sight because of the sunlight. (I know this now because it was easier to spot and read on the return trip.)
On that return trip, the car stops at a toll stop with guard booths and barrier gates. (I just love the ‘Do Not Back Up’ warning sign!) On the car’s approach to the bridge, you clearly see a sign in the girders which reads – ‘STOP: BRIDGE OPENING’.
There were no barrier gates to stop traffic in either direction when the video was made in 2015.
According to Wikipedia: “The Burlington–Bristol Bridge is a truss bridge with a lift span crossing the Delaware River from…New Jersey to…Pennsylvania.” The bridge opened in 1931.
Finally in 2016 barrier gates and traffic signals were added at each end to control traffic when the gate was in operation.
Do you have a bridge that needs barrier gates, guard/toll booths, stop and go signals, etc? Or service and maintenance on same?
Well then, call ECI today at 847.949.0134 or click below for direct contact information.
