Welcome To Case's Column
Let me say a big welcome to all of you for joining me here. I'm going to call these blog meetings Case's Column. I wanted to use "Corner", but that was already taken.
Since 2008, it's been a real privilege to come on here and share some of my life with you, and it's a big world where we live.
In these blogs, I'll just speak whatever is on my mind, but we will be playing within the rules here. I may pick a particular topic, point out an event, or shoot the breeze. I'm a little bit of an essayist at times, so I'll just speak what's on my mind, and I might tell a story or two. Or, I might spew out an opinion or three. There will be some serious moments, some tender, some poignant, but there will also be those moments that you'll just bust out laughing. But, hopefully, everything will be in good fun here. And, of course, there's a place below for your comments and thoughts as we go along here. So feel free to join me for the ride -- I sure as heck hope I'm doing this right and not making any mistakes.
Thanks for taking your time in reading Case's Column. Hopefully, you'll enjoy being entertained by it as much as I've enjoyed putting these writings together. And thanks for the time you spend in City-Data.com, where it's great to be alive!
Regards,
case44
Let me say a big welcome to all of you for joining me here. I'm going to call these blog meetings Case's Column. I wanted to use "Corner", but that was already taken.
Since 2008, it's been a real privilege to come on here and share some of my life with you, and it's a big world where we live.In these blogs, I'll just speak whatever is on my mind, but we will be playing within the rules here. I may pick a particular topic, point out an event, or shoot the breeze. I'm a little bit of an essayist at times, so I'll just speak what's on my mind, and I might tell a story or two. Or, I might spew out an opinion or three. There will be some serious moments, some tender, some poignant, but there will also be those moments that you'll just bust out laughing. But, hopefully, everything will be in good fun here. And, of course, there's a place below for your comments and thoughts as we go along here. So feel free to join me for the ride -- I sure as heck hope I'm doing this right and not making any mistakes.
Thanks for taking your time in reading Case's Column. Hopefully, you'll enjoy being entertained by it as much as I've enjoyed putting these writings together. And thanks for the time you spend in City-Data.com, where it's great to be alive!
Regards,
case44
Lessons Learned From Low Bridges
Posted 12-04-2023 at 08:05 PM by case44
Let's you and I get one thing straight: Freeway underpasses must always be at least sixteen feet high. While the powers that be have wised up to it in their new freeway designs, how about doing some replacing on the old?
That's what needs to be done in a number of U.S. cities, and especially in places like Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio. I am astonished at how many bridges are just too low in a number of locations of freeway in the state of Texas. A number of these were built in the 1950s and '60s when most builders didn't know any better, and so, you have to think about big trucks and the need for them to have proper clearance. My lands, look at one particular bridge in Fort Worth, where Sylvania Avenue crosses Texas State Highway 121 at just 13 feet, 10 inches!
They had to put up a warning sign for truck drivers to exit the highway just to avoid having a mishap with the bridge up above. Not providing enough clearance for any driver is plain dangerous. I'll confess, I still get a little nervous when there's a truck in front of me when approaching an underpass. Freight carriers have to have clearance, and you need the assurance that each one will get through and not get stuck or run the risk of damaging the truck.
Sixteen feet. That's not a lot to ask, is it?
Replacements for these low bridges are needed in the places I've mentioned, and anywhere else there's any bridge lower than sixteen feet high. Depress the freeway and/or raise the bridge height. In any event, if it has to take a drastic project to alleviate the problem, then so be it. It's much better than a band-aid which really won't help.
Be glad that I don't drive an 18-wheeler. I like my Junior just fine.
That's what needs to be done in a number of U.S. cities, and especially in places like Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio. I am astonished at how many bridges are just too low in a number of locations of freeway in the state of Texas. A number of these were built in the 1950s and '60s when most builders didn't know any better, and so, you have to think about big trucks and the need for them to have proper clearance. My lands, look at one particular bridge in Fort Worth, where Sylvania Avenue crosses Texas State Highway 121 at just 13 feet, 10 inches!
They had to put up a warning sign for truck drivers to exit the highway just to avoid having a mishap with the bridge up above. Not providing enough clearance for any driver is plain dangerous. I'll confess, I still get a little nervous when there's a truck in front of me when approaching an underpass. Freight carriers have to have clearance, and you need the assurance that each one will get through and not get stuck or run the risk of damaging the truck. Sixteen feet. That's not a lot to ask, is it?
Replacements for these low bridges are needed in the places I've mentioned, and anywhere else there's any bridge lower than sixteen feet high. Depress the freeway and/or raise the bridge height. In any event, if it has to take a drastic project to alleviate the problem, then so be it. It's much better than a band-aid which really won't help.
Be glad that I don't drive an 18-wheeler. I like my Junior just fine.
Total Comments 3
Comments
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For the uninitiated, Junior is my new Toyota Corolla. 
It's a smaller, yet sportier vehicle than my Camry used to be. The newness is still there, but it won't be long.Posted 12-04-2023 at 08:07 PM by case44
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There was a 12-ft underpass in New Braunfels, I think, on Seguin Ave, built in the 1930’s. They reconstructed it about ten years ago so that the clearance is now around 17 feet.
https://herald-zeitung.com/news/txdo...a4bcf887a.htmlPosted 12-05-2023 at 07:16 AM by shoe01 
Updated 12-05-2023 at 07:25 AM by shoe01 -
I expect such things on side streets, shoe. And those need straightening out, too. For this post, I'm just focusing right now on our freeways as infrastructure is getting increasingly older. We need all underpasses to be at least sixteen feet.Quote:Originally Posted by shoe01
There was a 12-ft underpass in New Braunfels, I think, on Seguin Ave, built in the 1930’s. They reconstructed it about ten years ago so that the clearance is now around 17 feet.
https://herald-zeitung.com/news/txdo...a4bcf887a.htmlPosted 12-05-2023 at 07:14 PM by case44
