An intimidating structure

An interesting aside – perhaps there is a way to identify which bridges are guilty of drawing jumpers. Those blue crisis hot line signs can mark them as monsters that have seen and enabled such deaths. These aren’t too easy to see from a driver’s perspective, but by watching drive over videos slowed down or paused they can be spotted. That is how I know they are there on the Nice Bridge. The telltale mark of a monster – kind of like a “beware of dog” sign to warn of a dog that may bite. The dog that has bitten, or tried to bite others is likely to try and do so again. A bridge that has played host to fatal plunges is also likely to do so again and again, unless it is prevented from doing so. Both have their warning signs…the only thing is that the ones on bridges are a bit less obvious. 

 (This entry was actually written last Thursday) So tomorrow I am leaving for the Jersey shore, and luckily the weather has vastly improved, with a forecast of sunshine. And I think, much to my joy, that I might have actually figured out a way to traverse the mini-Skyway monster known as the William V Roth Jr. Bridge! And, also I have come up with a way I might con my husband into being OK with that plan! Plus, this alternate return route would also have me crossing my own state’s monster, the Bay Bridge. My premise for my husband is saving money by reducing tolls. Tomorrow’s trip will entail traveling along a tolled portion of Interstate 95 plus crossing the big green monster. That makes up a little bit of time, which is what will be helpful on a Friday afternoon. But, on the way home, I will plead the case that we aren’t in a huge hurry and we can avoid the most expensive toll (the one on I-95) to boot. Yes! I think I’ve got it! Now I have to get my husband on board with that plan. Assuming I can get him to go with that plan, I’ll be happy. The only better thing would be if I could drive down on one of the access roads that runs beneath the bridge on both sides of the river. That way I could take some pictures of the monster. I have no idea how I could convince my husband to let me do that. He would think I’m nuts! But, if all I get to do is to drive over it, at least I’ll be able to see it.

     Ah-ha! I finally clinched it! My husband has no issue with us taking the lazy way home. Two trips (coming and going) across Delaware’s green monster, one trip across the creepy mini-Skyway, and a westbound trip across the steel serpent of the Chesapeake Bay. Where there is a will, there is a way.

     This morning we left for the Jersey shore in the fading remnants of a tropical storm. I decided to take the wheel, as I wanted to drive across the big green monster. Thankfully the rain was light and intermittent, and the traffic was not bad. The last time I had faced Delaware’s metal monster was over fifteen years ago, when I was headed to Six Flags in New Jersey for a roller coaster convention. I was traveling alone at the time, and while I do recall my first trip driving over the green monster, I realized today that I had forgotten a lot of it. What I had not remembered, for some strange reason, is the way that the Delaware Memorial Bridge totally dominates the landscape around it. The towers loom absolutely huge in the far distance, not unlike those of the Golden Gate Bridge which can also be seen from miles away. They appear, when approached from the west, to right of the road, standing high above the tree line. Then, upon rounding the curve, the driver is confronted with the full view of both spans soaring way above the river. That horrifyingly steep view that I once had of the Key Bridge is every bit as evident when approaching the green monster. And in this case, not all of that is an illusion. The grade is indeed rather sharply pitched and you do have the sensation of climbing a hill. Worse yet, the approaching driver can easily see the curve of the bridge, and the under structure of the opposite span can be seen. Then there is the railing, low and open, with great views of the river and its shores. And there is another thing that I did not notice (or perhaps this feature wasn’t there years ago) with regards to the road deck. The road surface on the main span seemed to be comprised of a sort of metal grating rather than concrete. That was kind of dicey driving on in the rain. This mid century metal monster has an absolutely grand sense of scale and is a most intimidating and overwhelming structure. I felt like an ant running across the limb of a huge tree far above the ground while traversing it! And when I finally exited the bridge, I realized that I had been gripping the steering wheel harder than usual. It isn’t hard to see why gephyrophobia sufferers would be a nervous wreck when faced with that monstrous, awe inspiring iron beast. The Key Bridge gave me a scare so long ago, but I honestly do believe that if I had been confronted with crossing the green monster first I would have been just as mortified. Actually, I might have been even more scared! And yes, I did think briefly of the courteous jumper, that woman who turned on her hazard lights before leaping into oblivion from the green monster’s span. The sights of that metal monster was one of the last things she saw….the soaring steel towers and cables, the graceful curve of the massive spans, the railing, and then the water below. What on earth possesses someone to do something like that? People for whom the highest point of some metal and concrete monster is the very last place they find themselves alive. Those who seek out such monsters in order to end their lives. It’s no wonder some bridges have such terrible reputations from being co-opted as an instrument of death and self-annihilation. Most use bridges like Delaware’s monster as a way across the river, but she used it as a way of crossing from life into death, and of course, whatever lies beyond.