Advance warning system in works for 'undefeated' KC bridge

The famed Independence Avenue Bridge in Kansas City remains "undefeated." But the trucks that keep hitting it might soon have more of a fighting chance.

[@MJM17]

Probably won’t help much. Just look up the “11 foot 8 bridge”. It had a flashing warning sign and a protective barrier, and they still had to raise the bridge height up to 12’ something. That made things better but I think someone just hit it again not too long ago… Some people are just not cut out for driving privileges 😂

[@_TheEnemy_]

Plainly says 12ft. These drivers shouldn't be driving since they don't know the height of their truck and trailer.

[@kechumgreen8893]

put up a "Scale Ahead" sign up and i bet less trucks will go toward that bridge. they will figure a route around it.

[@kimkim2718]

That's a fantastic idea.

[@rayzala1393]

Sem driver here and honestly this is just ridiculous. Most bridges do not have a sign on them so drivers are just used to going through but the signs are completely clear on this with flashing lights included.

[@jordaneimer2873]

its usually an inexperienced driver. many of these accidents are from uhaul drivers or rented trucks with somebody who doesn't understand what they are driving and where

[@chuckbronco6485]

@@jordaneimer2873 the video refutes your statement. All of them were professional drivers.

[@ElRadioDJ913]

The bridge is a legend.

[@JamesAdams-bd9df]

They need to put like a tungsten carbide blade on the bridge so it makes a clean cut and the truck can keep going.

[@cjuice9039]

The 11 foot 8 gains another comrade in the league of low bridges.

[@buckaroo1949]

That is now 12 ft. 4 inches. It still eats trucks.

[@theotheleo6830]

Well, they can affix additional signage, but they can't fix stupid.

[@vernonsheldon-witter1225]

This bridge has been eating Trucks since I was a child, I am now 63.

[@jayb3210]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@yankeered5625]

Look up the bridge in syracuse. Has all the lights and whistles yet every year someone still runs it

[@darrencatenacci2737]

They need to post a high vehicle detour. At some point the driver gets to point of no choice but go or back all the way out. It’s really easy to just blame the driver but until you’ve been in totally new to you city and in that situation you honestly don’t know what you would do. Many folks don’t realize the many things you can have going on in the cab. I think a stop light before the bridge for tall vehicles would help but many of today’s steering wheel holders would just blow it anyway. Wait till driverless truck come into play they follow GPS database for route so they’ll just crash into at the speed limit.

[@wesleyglenn6603]

The A.I should know the dimensions of the vehicle. If this is taken note of in the algorithm probably won't ever happen again actually. At least with driverless trucks

[@darrencatenacci2737]

@@wesleyglenn6603 The same database sends trucks the wrong way every day. It’s the same database that present GPS is using believe me I’ve got that same database in my truck GPS and it does screw up and tries to route me under low bridges every day. I also check my route on my map and low bridge section every trip.

[@chuckbronco6485]

It's 100% the drivers fault. There is bold sinage and flashing lights.

[@ronniestanley75]

Yeah. Because there are no channels who specialize in low overpass crashes ........... With warning announcements! I hope they put a video camera out there so we can watch all the "early warning" crashes.

[@bboner2]

How about some modern technology here. Install a laser beam at the collision height that hits the truck height and flashes red warning light in time to stop.

[@trekgirl65]

There is tech, in the signage. Tells the correct clearance and the drivers' still cannot read English.

[@missouribattleflag328]

👍 Darrell McClanahan Missouri first candidate for US Senate 🇺🇸 blaming the bridge is like blaming the gun there's obviously something wrong with these people your man on the streets got it right

[@patrickcarleton3924]

Why don't they put up "warning bars"; like drive-thru restaurants use? Place them at the intersection before the bridge.

[@tvviewer4500]

That bridge knocks trucks out though.

[@JamesAdams-bd9df]

All you need to do is scrunch through one time, then you can go through as many times as you want.

[@trekgirl65]

They have been hitting the bridge for many years. Older truckers of the area know how to avoid this bridge. But they can say now they will do something. But till I see it happen, it never will. The bridge is king of Hwy 24/Independence Avenue.

[@tylercain8683]

Every truck has a head hight sticker right infront of the driver..that's one of the first things they teach you is to watch your head highth

[@rossbryan6102]

I HATE TO PISS ON YOUR PARADE, BUT MANY TRUCKS DO NOT HAVE THE DRIVER HEIGHT WARNING STICKERS, IN FACT THEY ARE QUITE RARE ESPECIALLY TRUCKS OUT OF THE FACTORY ! AND THEN THE MOST LIKELY TO HAVE THEM ARE TRUCKS THAT HAVE CRANE BOOMS OR OTHER PARTS THAT MAY EXCEED THE 13 ‘ 6” LIMIT! IN MOST CASES TRUCK UPFITTERS AND FINAL USERS APPLY MOST OF THESE STICKERS! OBVIOUSLY YOU ARE SEEING TRUCKS IN YOUR WORLD, THAT DO NOT EXIST IN MY WORLD!

[@fuffoon]

I was not thinking GPS and then he mentioned that and it makes perfect sense. Its very easy to just follow the GPS and not even memorize the route. What route did you take? I don't know, I just followed the GPS.

[@rodshelley1170]

I used to live in this area... I lost track of how many times I had to divert my route due to a(nother) truck stuck under this bridge. 😂

[@patrickcarleton3924]

Shut the road down and lower the road itself by 2 feet. It's not rocket science.

[@ckmoore101]

No, its civil engineering. Harder then you think. My guess is there are bridge abutment base footing issues, where lowering the road could compromise their strength, due to design. Essentially meaning only way to fix, is to build new bridge. Then there may also be water table, or underground utility factors to consider. Just a guess.

[@patrickcarleton3924]

@@ckmoore101 I actually did think of those things as well. But I worked for our citys' engineering department some years ago and I figured it would be the lesser of two evils due to the bridge being a railroad bridge, which changes the whole dynamics of the issue. But you are correct. My simplified comment left out all the various factors that need to be addressed. They have a very serious issue to deal with.

[@Eye2Eye24]

Imagine being popular for an engineering failure. It's always odd how they never do anything until somebody dies.

[@steadfastneasy26]

So, instead of putting up more warnings "hoping" they'll work, maybe lowering the road would be a better long-term solution, but maybe that's just me.

[@klystronvariant2686]

You can't fix stupid.

[@Excremental_Discharge]

Fill in the ground, make it regular railroad crossing. Problem solved

[@chuckbronco6485]

Hahaha they are still going to hit it. See the footage from the 10'8"+8" bridge in the Carolina's. People are just to lazy to read.

[@greggcollins4215]

A new warning system would be just a waste of money. It is already marked, drivers that ignore present signs will ingore any other warning system as well. Instead put up cameras and start a you tube channel to show the wrecks on and make some money off of you tube.

[@sundevil3640]

WOW.. talk of a warning curtain-system...yank,yank!....gotta love people who love having important meetings about doing nothing.

[@haroldjordan1316]

You need a truck GPS not your phone

[@512undertaker]

Like i get it people are idiots and not knowing their clearances of their vehicles to fit under a bridge shouldn't drive, but at the same time you have spent probably the same amount of money in resources every time somebody hits this bridge, to fix damages have emergency services, etc as to just raising the bridge the one or two feet to allow these vehicles to pass through

[@kimlersue]

It doesn't take a genius to READ THE SIGN!!

[@rustyreese4006]

No it doesn't. But as a retired truck driver I can tell you that more and more drivers cannot speak English, and are more accustomed to the metric system. Driving schools are also the law now, but they are not very good. I learned from a driver in two weeks and got my license. Never had a problem. These schools usually last about a month and drivers come out still not able to pass the license test. When I took mine there was another guy that was taking his driving test for the sixth time. I passed and he didn't. Those schools are expensive and not worth a crap.

[@TheMoogoescow]

How about destroy it and build it higher? Like sure that's expensive but cheaper in the long run if you think about it. smh

[@rayharris847]

You can waste your money and put up all the signs you want. YOU CANT FIX STUPID!!!! I'm a driver drive in Chicago been in New York City I've never hit a bridge.

[@charlesharrison3419]

Hiring drivers that can't speak English might be the damn problem 🙃 🙄

[@trekgirl65]

Many American Born Truckers cant' understand English worse than the legal immigrants. Better recheck the US schools your kids go to, for many of those kids cannot read a sign, or a book.

[@JumboShr1mp]

Need to fix the height of bridge.

[@tvviewer4500]

What is this a fake 11' 8"

[@preston5311]

Just pointing out who shouldn’t be on the road