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10-16-2019, 07:09 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Vegas
State: Texas
Posts: 10
THOR #14044
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Driving over the Cairo bridge in Missouri
I hope everyone reads this. Today we were traveling from Sawanee Nat'l Park to Arkansas. GPS, my new nemisis, took us over the Cairo bridge. It spans the Ohio and Mississippi River in Missouri. The air/wind from an 18 Wheeler coming towards us pushed us a couple of inches, just enough to make us rake a panel under the door. Scariest think so far in our motorhome. This bridge is crazy narrow. I highly recommend not crossing the Mississippi at this bridge. Way too narrow.
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10-16-2019, 08:03 PM
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#2
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Axis/Vegas Enthusiast
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.4
State: Michigan
Posts: 9,837
THOR #1150
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10-16-2019, 09:52 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: A.C.E. 29.2
State: Oklahoma
Posts: 191
THOR #2542
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Ha ha! Yep, that bridge will certainly accelerate your pulse. We’ve only crossed it in our Yukon but the river was very low so the height above the water was greater. I’m not sure my wife exhaled until we reached the other side. [emoji2]
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Rick Norris
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10-16-2019, 10:47 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Four Winds 26B
State: Indiana
Posts: 389
THOR #6414
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All the Missouri bridges used to be that narrow. We used to cross the river on the Chain of Rocks bridge. Just as narrow, except it has a bit of a dog leg as you're crossing.
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Roger, Dawn, and Roxie
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10-16-2019, 11:21 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Brand: Still Looking
Model: Travato
State: Florida
Posts: 2,475
THOR #1765
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You should have seen the bridges on the old US 1 in the Florida Keys in the 60s and 70s. They were built on the old Flagler single track RR with concrete slabs on top of the old road bed and RR rails as the side rails. They were so narrow that tractor trailers used to smash their side view mirrors against each other as they went by. The bridge at Marathon was 7 mikes long. The bridge at Bahia Honda was built on top of the steel lattice work structure of the old bridge and when you got to the top, you could not see over until you started down the other side. You can still see the old bridges if you drive to Key West.
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10-17-2019, 12:49 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Hurricane 31S
State: Texas
Posts: 4,182
THOR #6411
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nancychandler
I hope everyone reads this. Today we were traveling from Sawanee Nat'l Park to Arkansas. GPS, my new nemisis, took us over the Cairo bridge. It spans the Ohio and Mississippi River in Missouri. The air/wind from an 18 Wheeler coming towards us pushed us a couple of inches, just enough to make us rake a panel under the door. Scariest think so far in our motorhome. This bridge is crazy narrow. I highly recommend not crossing the Mississippi at this bridge. Way too narrow.
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The bridge is 20 ft guardrail to guardrail plus it is in a curve. Most class 8 trucks are 8.5 ft wide; add another foot for the mirrors and the truck will be slightly over the double yellow line. Much better I-57 north to Illinois 146 over to I-24 and back to Paducah. It is 43 miles farther but just about as fast in total time. If you are in that part of the woods, I recommend a visit to Big Oak Tree SP in East Prairie, MO (1,000 acres of virgin hardwood Mississippi bottom land) and Columbus-Belmont SP, KY (civil war fort on the high bluffs of the Mississippi with nice shaded RV spots).
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Jim & Roy Davis
2016 Hurricane 31S
1961 Rampside in tow
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10-17-2019, 01:18 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Vegas 25.2
State: Missouri
Posts: 1,038
THOR #4687
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nancychandler
I hope everyone reads this. Today we were traveling from Sawanee Nat'l Park to Arkansas. GPS, my new nemisis, took us over the Cairo bridge. It spans the Ohio and Mississippi River in Missouri. The air/wind from an 18 Wheeler coming towards us pushed us a couple of inches, just enough to make us rake a panel under the door. Scariest think so far in our motorhome. This bridge is crazy narrow. I highly recommend not crossing the Mississippi at this bridge. Way too narrow.
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I always wondered if it was "possible" for an RV to fit on that bridge with an 18 wheeler approaching...
I always tried to time it so I could cross without any oncoming traffic in my car, definitely don't think I am brave enough to try it in our VEGAS,,,
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2016 25.2 VEGAS with 2017 Jeep Wrangler AND Two Dogs; Norwegian Elkhound & Morkie (The RV is actually the Dog's)
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10-17-2019, 02:52 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Hurricane 29M
State: Texas
Posts: 2,724
THOR #11781
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I'll drive over any bridge in my pickup with little to no anxiety but taking my motorhome on a narrow or long bridge definitely puckers me. I will add this bridge to my list of detours.
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Lt Keefer
2018 Hurricane 29M
CHF, Saf-T-Plus, SumoSprings
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10-18-2019, 01:11 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2023 Jayco Precept 31UL
State: Florida
Posts: 2,916
THOR #1589
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Thanks for pointing this out. We crossed that nasty, narrow bridge several years ago with our pickup and fifth wheel. It was a nail biter and I swore to avoid that one no matter how much farther I had to drive.
That bridge was opened in 1937, and replacing it is in the works. Overdue.
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Life is better when you cry a little, laugh a lot, and are thankful for everything you've got!
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10-19-2019, 06:33 PM
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#10
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Junior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Vegas
State: Texas
Posts: 10
THOR #14044
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Thanks all for commiserating with me. I tried to find a list of "narrow dangerous bridges" but couldn't find anything relevant. Guess I'll start my own list
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10-25-2019, 01:32 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Brand: Still Looking
State: Texas
Posts: 200
THOR #13816
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Thanks!
Thank you for sharing this. While I do drive our Vegas, my husband knew from the beginning I wouldn’t be driving over any significant bridges. I normally try to scope out our routes via google maps, but I now know I also need to check out the street view. I can’t believe how narrow this bridge is!!
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S.O.B.
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport
Blue Ox Avail w/Blue Ox Patriot 3 Brake System
Safe-T-Plus steering stabilizer, Koni shocks
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10-25-2019, 02:02 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: THOR Chateua 35SF
State: Florida
Posts: 5,850
THOR #11130
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nancychandler
Thanks all for commiserating with me. I tried to find a list of "narrow dangerous bridges" but couldn't find anything relevant. Guess I'll start my own list ��
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Great post and one more added to my list of avoidance. Add the Huey P. Long Bridge in New Orleans.
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Now an SOB
Traded Thor for Melbourne Prestige 24NP
2018 THOR Chateau 35SF
Two Labs, Bugsie & Blondie
Blondie passed in 2020 at 5 to Leukemia
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11-02-2019, 03:54 AM
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#13
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Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 28z
State: Idaho
Posts: 60
THOR #1797
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Broken mirror
Hwy 155 in WA. state crossing the Colombia river at Coulee Dam just north of the dam. They increased the deck but did not move the uprights next to the deck. Had to move to the right for a oncoming truck and took mirror on class C into the window, lucky window did not break just mirror and my wife nerves.
Had drove 7000 miles to AK and back and the only problem was 200 miles from home, Very hard to drive without the right hand mirror and you can't just got to the nearest auto store and get one.
Also class C mirrors are closer to the ground then A's and have had problems with high bridge rails in the Pacific northwest had some close calls
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11-09-2019, 02:09 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.1 KC's Big Box
State: Kansas
Posts: 2,171
THOR #3510
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nancychandler
I hope everyone reads this. Today we were traveling from Sawanee Nat'l Park to Arkansas. GPS, my new nemisis, took us over the Cairo bridge. It spans the Ohio and Mississippi River in Missouri. The air/wind from an 18 Wheeler coming towards us pushed us a couple of inches, just enough to make us rake a panel under the door. Scariest think so far in our motorhome. This bridge is crazy narrow. I highly recommend not crossing the Mississippi at this bridge. Way too narrow.
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We have been on that bridge on motorcycles...but avoid it like the plague otherwise. We cross at St. Louis or Memphis...hate the crazy busy traffic in both locations.
In May, we crossed the Mississippi at Vicksburg.
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Ron & Kay n KC too !
2001 Scamp 13'
'KC's Little Box'
Jeep Wrangler TJ
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11-09-2019, 05:19 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Hurricane 31S
State: Texas
Posts: 4,182
THOR #6411
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vkb
We have been on that bridge on motorcycles...but avoid it like the plague otherwise. We cross at St. Louis or Memphis...hate the crazy busy traffic in both locations.
In May, we crossed the Mississippi at Vicksburg.
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Plenty of other good wide places to cross between those two very cinjested places. The I-155 bridge near Caruthersville, MO that connects to I-69, the Dorena-Hickman ferry which connects to KY-80 which is four lanes most of the way across KY, the I-57 bridge north of Cario, and Cape Giaradeau, MO (MO-146) which connects to IL-3 (the Great River Road).
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Jim & Roy Davis
2016 Hurricane 31S
1961 Rampside in tow
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11-09-2019, 07:18 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.1 KC's Big Box
State: Kansas
Posts: 2,171
THOR #3510
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Beau388
Plenty of other good wide places to cross between those two very cinjested places. The I-155 bridge near Caruthersville, MO that connects to I-69, the Dorena-Hickman ferry which connects to KY-80 which is four lanes most of the way across KY, the I-57 bridge north of Cario, and Cape Giaradeau, MO (MO-146) which connects to IL-3 (the Great River Road).
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agree...we have used the I-155 bridge as well...depends on area we are headed...when heading to FL, etc...we generally go through Memphis when we are 'on task' ….even tho the traffic is crazy as is the St. Louis traffic.
We have crossed at Cape Giradeau several times...on motorcycle...and in RV. Pretty area...
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Ron & Kay n KC too !
2001 Scamp 13'
'KC's Little Box'
Jeep Wrangler TJ
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