Though this isn't my personal experience I put this article here to remind people that many bridges in the U.S. aren't safe and could collapse from rust and neglect at any time. But, the one's she is talking about here are new enough not to be the ones that will fall down on any given day from rust and neglect.
Cross If You Dare: The Most Terrifying Bridges in the USA
The act of driving over a bridge is inherently scary. You’re driving thousands of pounds of metal over a thin man-made sliver, spanning spaces that aren’t naturally meant to be crossed. Every trip over a bridge requires trusting the builder (usually the lowest bidder), the maintenance crew (and the sequester-era maintenance budget), the last person who fixed your breaks, and, most horrifying of all, those other drivers around you. Yes, we know — try not to think about it.
But some bridges seem to go the extra mile just to be scarier. In some cases, literally — like the 25 miles of road over an alligator infested lake in Louisiana. Some bridges take fear to new heights, like one in Colorado that could fit many of the country’s tallest skyscrapers beneath its bearings. There’s a bridge that, for some reason, was built directly in the path of hurricane-force winds and another that is covered by fog more often than not. There are epic battles for right of way, killer scenery, and let us not forget those pesky other bridge dwellers: ghosts.
There are so many ways to get freaked out when driving on a bridge, but none will give you the shivers as much as these.
Royal Gorge Bridge, Colorado
Royal Gorge Bridge — do you dare? (Photo: aspidoscelis/Flickr)
The country’s highest suspension bridge, Colorado’s Royal Gorge Bridge is located a staggering 90 stories over the Arkansas River — three times the height of the Statue of Liberty. If that doesn’t make you queasy, then jumping on the gigantic swing perched at the end of the bridge probably will. Called the Royal Rush Skycoaster, the 100-feet tall human pendulum swings people 1,200 feet out and over the river. Not scared yet? Try the Royal Gorge Bridge zip line; it gives you passage over the entire gorge, via wire, at the same height. And then there’s the threat of wildfire; erratic flames actually destroyed the bridge in June, 2013 (no one was hurt, but 1,200 visitors were evacuated along the 950-foot-tall cliffs). Its 1,260-feet long span was quickly remade and reopened to the public by January, 2014.
Mackinac Bridge, Michigan
The terrifyingly windy Mackinac Bridge (Photo: master phillip/Flickr)
The gale force winds that sweep over Mackinac Bridge — a staggeringly long five-mile suspension bridge connecting Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas — can reach up to 79 miles per hour and have been so powerful that in 2013, they nearly blasted semi tractor trailers into the Mackinac strait, 200-feet below. Crossing the bridge is so scary that theMackinac Bridge Authority will drive your car over it for you upon request. According to ABC News, between 1,200 and 1,400 of these calls are made every year (about three or four a day). But don’t worry, the bridge closes if the winds go over 65 mph and only two cars have ever fallen off.
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Cross If You Dare: The Most Terrifying Bridges in the USA
Royal Gorge Bridge — do you dare? (Photo: aspidoscelis/Flickr) The country’s highest suspension bridge, Colorado’s Royal Gorge Bridge is located a staggering 90 stories over the Arkansas River — three times the height of the Statue of Liberty. If that doesn’t make you queasy, then jumping on the…
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