Hey, there! Log in / Register
Remember that train bridge in Westwood that the state gave more clearance to so trucks would stop ramming it?
By adamg on Fri, 12/14/2018 - 8:56am
Or maybe the state is using the Calvin and Hobbes method to determine the clearance needed.
Neighborhoods:
Topics:
Ad:
Support Universal Hub
Help keep Universal Hub going. If you like what we're up to and want to help out, please consider a (completely non-deductible) contribution.
Comments
a favorite
That has always been one of my top C&H strips. Right up there with the one about black and white photography.
Even though it was raised to 13.5 feet, I believe.
Perhaps when they lower the road underneath the bridge, that will help, but I don't know. They raised it another three feet and it is still happening.
Not done yet.
The new bridge was installed higher than the old bridge, now 12ft instead of 10.5ft I believe. The work of lowering the road, which will yield a 13.5ft vertical clearance hasn't been done yet. At that point there should be very few collisions as 13.5ft is the legal max height in MA (over 13.5ft is a "overheight vehicle"). Yes, in the future someone with an overheight vehicle will strike the bridge at the final clearance of 13.5ft. No, it doesn't matter how much signage there is, some truck drivers don't read the signage.
Hope the actual clearance is more than
13'-6". Because driving a 13'-6" truck under a 13'-6" high overpass leaves ZERO margin for error.
The question has to be asked
Is there signage saying 12"?
Frankly, I am hoping that the signs still say 10.5 until the job is done, since that will lessen the chances of things like this happening. My fear is that they took the signs down. I haven't been out that way since the reconstruction began in earnest. I should go out and take a look.
The current signs still say 10'-6".
As shown in the photos accompanying one news story.
Signs still say 10'6", and are quite prominent
(Source: Boston Globe, from Boston 25 News)
Interstate Standard
13'6" on local highways.
This guy would have slammed into stuff on the freeway if he's hitting here.
Although many overpasses on the Interstate system
are posted as low clearance, very few of them are less than 14' in height. So trucks that do not exceed the max legal height of 13'-6" shouldn't have issues with them.