Low bridge in Coloma, CA. Can we do it?

[BusManRG]

Now that we'll have our BH back from its warranty repairs I was starting to plan a few weekend trips. One of our favorite spots in our Class C had been the Coloma Resort. Went to make a reservation and saw that the one lane bridge over the river has a height clearance of 13'6". Ugh. Anyone been there with your 13'3" 5th wheel? Hubby says I need to take it off the favorites list, and that 3" isn't going to cut it, but I thought maybe some of you adventuresome types had tried it???? Since we've only gotten to take the baby out once before repairs, we haven't actually measured it ourselves. Is it really 13'3" with the A/C covers or is it ABOUT 13'3" and our luck it's more like 13'4".... And ,maybe the bridge is really 14'!!

Thanks,
Sandy

 

[kkamshop]

If the bridge is marked 13 6 I wouldn't be afraid to take my Landmark through it.

 

[dlw930]

I've gone through 13'6" bridges and underpasses with my Landmark, but I had it's height measured at 13' 2". Several of us had our rig's height measured at the North Texas Rally this past April. The heights at the top of the front AC cover varied from 13' 1" to 13' 10" depending on the brand and model. I wouldn't go over a bridge marked less than 14' without measuring my rig first.


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[mlpeloquin]

Measured out Bighorn at 13 3/4" and went under a sign that stated 13' 4". Did not have a problem, but went very slowly. I did not have a choice by the time I got to the intersection and could read the sign. So measure the height hooked up to the truck from the ground to the top of the roof at the highest point, and from the top of the roof to the top of the front AC peak. That should be your highest point. Use the measured height and if the clearance is higher, go slow and you should not have a problem.

 

[wdk450]

Measured out Bighorn at 13 3/4" and went under a sign that stated 13' 4". Did not have a problem, but went very slowly. I did not have a choice by the time I got to the intersection and could read the sign. So measure the height hooked up to the truck from the ground to the top of the roof at the highest point, and from the top of the roof to the top of the front AC peak. That should be your highest point. Use the measured height and if the clearance is higher, go slow and you should not have a problem.

BTW, I used a 2 X 4 stud balanced level on the top o the AC cover to drop a weighted string off of the 2 X 4 end to the ground; then measured the string length. I think I got something like 13 feet 8 inches, so I just limit myself to 14 foot clearances.

I would call the RV resort for guidance on this issue.

 

[danemayer]

Height of other owner's trailers is not going to make you safe. You need to measure.

Find a level location and measure while hitched to the truck and loaded the way you travel.

Write down the result, adding a couple of inches of safety margin to deal with repaving of streets, and keep it within sight while driving.

 

[rhodies1]

Height of other owner's trailers is not going to make you safe. You need to measure.

Find a level location and measure while hitched to the truck and loaded the way you travel.

Write down the result, adding a couple of inches of safety margin to deal with repaving of streets, and keep it within sight while driving.

for everyone info... I travel from Nova Scotia to Pennsylvania every year and when I enter the state of New York on the I90 there is a large yellow-black sign that states ......All Understructure Bridge Heights Are 13.6 feet. Which is a little scary for an interstate highway.

 

[jmgratz]

If you measure 13 2 and the underpass is 13 6 you will only have 4 inches to play with. If you hit a bump that could raise you up by 4 inches. I want at least 6 inches to play with. My biggest question is How accurate are the signs anyway?

 

[MCTalley]

Here's a good reminder to carry an app or atlas that lists low clearances. Back in September, we decided we would try to stay at Kentucky Dam Village State Park for an overnight. On the way in and out on the route our GPS took us is the following railroad bridge over the state highway we were traveling on (Google Street View):

There were no warning signs anywhere that I saw. The bridge is fairly near the campground entrance, so instead of paying much attention to the bridge (which we fortunately cleared), we were watching for the campground entrance. Turns out we didn't stay at the campground (they were having water issues), so we traveled back the same route (under the bridge again) to get to a nearby KOA.

It wasn't until that evening as I was using my Allstays app to look at something else that I noticed that it was showing that bridge at 13' 1" clearance. If you look really closely on the picture, above, you can see where 13' 1" is painted on the side of the bridge, but it is worn out. This image was admittedly captured by Google eight years ago, but I don't recall the bridge having any different signage as we drove through. I would have been concerned if I saw a 13' 1" sign beforehand and would probably have picked an alternate route.

We have not measured our maximum height, so I always assume 13' 6" as a minimum that I'll pass under. We were fortunate that this bridge cleared our trailer. I'll be more conscious of bridge heights on the way in and out of campgrounds moving forward.

 

[farside291]

That bridge would have definitely cleaned your roof had it been any lower. I don't want to even imagine that happening to anyone.

 

[BusManRG]

If you measure 13 2 and the underpass is 13 6 you will only have 4 inches to play with. If you hit a bump that could raise you up by 4 inches. I want at least 6 inches to play with. My biggest question is How accurate are the signs anyway?

We feel the same. We'll measure this weekend and get a better idea of our real height. Also going to call the park. We can't be the only ones with this issue!

 

[macjj]

I have a satellite dish on my 2012 3070 BH. I measured it using a laser while unhooked and level at 13' 4". So I marked it 13' 6". Recently went under a bridge labeled 13'6" and cleared without issue (slowly).


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[RottsNScotts]

Measured out Bighorn at 13 3/4" and went under a sign that stated 13' 4". Did not have a problem, but went very slowly. I did not have a choice by the time I got to the intersection and could read the sign. So measure the height hooked up to the truck from the ground to the top of the roof at the highest point, and from the top of the roof to the top of the front AC peak. That should be your highest point. Use the measured height and if the clearance is higher, go slow and you should not have a problem.

I haven't had too much of an issue yet but I DO wonder why they do not post the bridge height BEFORE the exit you will need to use to go around it rather than after or, worse yet, ON the bridge!

 

[macjj]

There is a add on yo most GPS systems called LowClearance.com. Worth a look


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[travelin2]

We went the through the Chesapeake Bay Bridge tunnels this past week lickety-split, 13' 6" !!!

Also traversed the tunnel around Norfolk VA.


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[Domi]

I will second lowclearnces.com. They give you a database you can put into your gps that will list any bridges below the hight you set. Very useful.

Also if you want to see what happens when a trailer goes under a bridge that is to low go to 11foot8.com. Watch the videos. It is amazing the work that has gone into letting drivers know about the low clearance and they still hit it.

Thanks for the reminder, we have not measured while hooked up for towing and will do it when we pull out this weekend.

Good luck,

John