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All the United States Washington Kirkland Truck-Eating Bridge

Truck-Eating Bridge

A normal, unassuming pedestrian overpass has been the demise of many, many trucks.

Kirkland, Washington

Added By
Melissa E
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  mewissa / Atlas Obscura User
  mewissa / Atlas Obscura User
Damage on the bridge from encounters with trucks.   mewissa / Atlas Obscura User
  mewissa / Atlas Obscura User
Bridge (February 2025)   Joe from Bellingham / Atlas Obscura User
9/18/23   leahschaeffer666 / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Known to local residents as "The Truck-Eating Bridge," this pedestrian overpass tends to stop trucks in their tracks, on what seems like a weekly basis. The bridge's clearance is only 11'6", and doesn't appear to provide enough forewarning for oncoming traffic. (Much like the also-famous "Can-Opener" in Durham, North Carolina.) 

According to Google Maps, the Truck-Eating Bridge is a tourist attraction, complete with a community-derived collection of eaten-truck sightings and 29 five-star reviews at the time of this writing.

The Cross-Kirkland Corridor that passes over the bridge is now a 5.75-mile crushed gravel trail for cyclists and pedestrians in Kirkland. It was originally part of the 42-mile Eastside Rail Corridor, developed in the early 1900s. The bridge's history as a hefty, train-supporting bridge is probably what has kept it intact today, despite its frequent munching on unsuspecting vehicles. No, this statement was not verified by any architects.

There are two ways to visit the Truck-Eating Bridge: across the top on the Cross-Kirkland Corridor by foot or bike, or down Kirkland Way itself. But if you choose the latter, maybe leave the freight truck at home. 

Related Tags

Trains Trucks Infrastructure Bridges

Know Before You Go

The safest way to visit is to use the street parking around 2nd Avenue and 10th Street, and then taking the pedestrian path. There are stairs that go up to the Cross-Kirkland Corridor, where you can walk across the bridge. One can also continue on the street-level path to view it from beneath. Be safe!

Community Contributors

Added By

mewissa

Edited By

leahschaeffer666, Joe from Bellingham

  • leahschaeffer666
  • Joe from Bellingham

Published

August 3, 2020

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  • https://goo.gl/maps/QaLwAVxPmAcbLorY6
  • https://goo.gl/maps/UCRqERxQUt6w7wz1A
Truck-Eating Bridge
975 Kirkland Way
Kirkland, Washington, 98033
United States
47.676109, -122.191222
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