These bridges have an appetite for trucks
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The hits keep coming for this Madisonville bridge, despite efforts to warn approaching drivers. Photo: Courtesy of the City of Cincinnati
Two low-slung railroad bridges have long vexed drivers, becoming social media fodder for peeling the tops off trucks.
Why it matters: The "can opener" bridges in Madisonville and Loveland are traffic hazards. They're reminders of what happens when modern trucks meet infrastructure built for another era.
Driving the news: Cincinnati's Department of Transportation and Engineering recorded 76 confirmed strikes at the Madisonville bridge between 2018 and 2025, supervising engineer Reiner Reising tells Axios.
- That's an average of nearly 10 a year.
State of play: It's not for lack of warnings.
- The city has extensive clearance signs and sensors that trigger flashing lights when a vehicle taller than 12 feet approaches, Reising says.
- DOTE rechecks the warning signs after every reported strike.
The big question: Why not make the opening taller?
- Cincinnati studied options around 2012, Reising says, but none proved practical or cost-effective.
⬆ Raising the bridge would require extensive work to the active rail line and grade adjustments on both sides.
- ⬇ Lowering the road would require excavation near the bridge's abutments.
- There are no planned or funded improvements to reduce strikes at the Madisonville bridge, Reising says.
Between the lines: Indiana & Ohio Railway owns the bridge, while Cincinnati is responsible for the roadway, meaning structural changes require coordination between the two.
- Indiana & Ohio Railway spokesperson Tom Ciuba tells Axios signage is the best mitigation measure, while raising the bridge is complicated by rail infrastructure and the potential disruption to customers if the line must be taken out of service.
Zoom out: Madisonville isn't the only local "can opener" along the Indiana & Ohio Railway.
- The railroad also operates the line over the 8-foot clearance trestle on Karl Brown Way in Loveland, per Federal Railroad Administration records.
- Loveland has taken "numerous steps" to deter strikes, city manager David Kennedy tells Axios, most notably installing an automated overheight warning system.
- But "it still happens more than we would like," Kennedy says.
The bottom line: Signs and sensors haven't stopped every driver from testing the clearance — leaving two local bridges with a stubborn appetite for trucks.
📬 Weigh in: Do you regularly drive past one of the area's "can opener" bridges, or avoid them?
- Have you witnessed a truck get stuck — or had a close call yourself? Email your story to [email protected].