Warning Curtains Installed on Independence Avenue Bridge to Avert Truck Crashes
Kansas City, Missouri – For years, the Independence Avenue Bridge has been notoriously known as a ‘truck eater’ due to incessant cases of trucks crashing into it. Now, a potential solution has surfaced – warning curtains. However, questions about its effectiveness in mitigating these decades-old issues arise.
Warning Curtains Seem to be Effective
The warning curtains at the Independence Avenue Bridge, which have been installed recently, have reportedly reduced truck crashes in the past month. The locals refer to the bridge as the “truck eating bridge,” due to its history of collisions.
Long-time truck driver Jay Perry, who once had a scrape with the bridge himself, said, “When I hit the bridge, I was young. I wasn’t thinking. I was in a hurry, hurry, hurry.”
With new measures like clearance signs and these warning curtains in place, the intention is to ensure that truck drivers can slow down and determine if they will make the perilous clearance.
KCMO Councillor on Warning Curtains
The curtains are positioned at an optimal distance from the bridge, according to Councillor Crispin Rea, whose district includes the Independence Avenue Bridge. Despite taking a few hits, Rea shares the curtain is still standing. He explains the complexities of placing the warning device. “There were easements and underground utilities that would be impacted if it went a few feet away from the bridge or a few feet closer,” he said.
Structural Changes to the Bridge Are Not Possible
The question of why structural changes to the bridge or the road underneath it are not made often pops up. Rea provided some insights, stating, “We don’t have any right to knock it down or build it higher. We’re strictly limited to what the railroad allows, and that’s been difficult to navigate.”
Is the Warning Curtains System a Long-Term Solution?
Listed among the skeptics of the warning curtain system is Jay Perry, who deems the curtains as mere distractions and not a long-term answer to the tendency of trucks crashing into the bridge.
The city aims to reduce the frequency of these accidents, even if they might be inevitable. The engineers are studying the effectiveness and are planning updates based on the collected data. These curtains, which are designed to release upon impact, preventing the entire arm from coming down, are a part of the city’s various initiatives to tackle the problem.
The city of KCMO will bear the cost of maintenance and repairs of the warning system. Plans for additional signage for detouring trucks are also being considered.
In conclusion, local citizens and officials alike agree that the Independence Avenue Bridge situation needs ongoing attention and not just temporary fixes. It remains to be seen whether the installation of these warning curtains finally puts an end to the notorious nickname of the bridge.
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