New overhead warning systems are set to be installed on two bridges in Delaware in an effort to prevent oversized vehicles from crashing into them. These systems consist of balls and chains, known as clankers, which are measured to the exact height of the bridge and hang from arms over the roadway. If a vehicle strikes the clankers, it indicates that it will not fit under the bridge.
The first system was installed on Casho Mill Road in Newark, where it successfully prevented a repeat of the 70 incidents that had occurred over the previous 10 years. Despite this success, one driver ignored the warning and ended up crashing into the bridge. DelDOT’s director of community relations, C.R. McLeod, emphasized the importance of these systems in preventing costly and disruptive bridge strikes.
The next installations will take place on Telegraph Road at the CSX Railroad Bridge in Wilmington and on South Rehoboth Boulevard in Milford at the Mispillion River Bridge. DelDOT has previously used signage and lights with sensors to alert oversized vehicles, but the clankers provide an additional level of safety.
McLeod expressed optimism about the new systems and their potential to prevent future bridge strikes, which can lead to road closures, expensive vehicle damage, and traffic disruptions. The goal is to enhance safety on these routes and avoid the negative consequences of vehicles colliding with low bridges.
Source
Photo credit www.delawarepublic.org
