This North Carolina Bridge is Tearing Vehicles to Shreds Thanks to Clueless Drivers

One of North Carolina's most famous bridges also happens to be one of the most destructive in the state.

A railroad bridge in Durham, North Carolina, nicknamed "The Can Opener," continues to grow its online fanbase thanks to over-confident drivers who misjudge the bridge's clearance restrictions.

How The Bridge Destroys Vehicles

The train trestle over Gregson Street in Durham was built nearly 70 years ago when vehicles (think large box trucks) weren't nearly as tall. As time went on, more and more vehicles struggled to make it through safely.

The Can Opener eventually gained national attention thanks to a series of YouTube videos showing vehicles trying to drive under it, only to have their roof ripped to shreds. The popular videos were recorded from a nearby office with a camera fixed on the intersection.

One by one, new videos were uploaded to the channel showing bulky trucks ignoring height restrictions in hopes of making it through. The bridge would win every time.

Eventually, the city installed a giant LED sign to let drivers know their vehicle was too tall for the intersection. Sensors would even trigger the traffic light so the driver would have time to read the sign and then turn away from the underpass.

Nope, that still wasn't enough, either.

How Many Vehicles Have Crashed At The Can Opener?

A website dedicated to the Can Opener, 11foot8.com, says that an average of one truck per month ran into the train trestle between 2008 and 2019 when the bridge was eventually raised 8 inches.

"However, every day I see trucks that trip the overheigh warning lights, stop and turn into the side street," the website says. "So the vast majority of drivers heed the warnings."

And while crashes at the site have certainly decreased, they're still happening. Just last August, a moving truck was halted to a dead stop after it didn't make it under the bridge.

The frequently asked questions section of 11foot8.com attempts to broach the subject of why drivers brazenly ignore the signage only to get stuck under the bridge.

"No idea. They certainly seem distracted, and the rental truck drivers are also probably inexperienced.

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The Can Opener has been immortalized in a documentary about its destruction. It also was recently the inspiration of a music video by North Carolina-based rock musician MJ Lenderman.

If you're interested in a one-of-a-kind souvenir from the bridge, 11Foot8.com also sells "crash art" featuring pieces of metal retrieved from vehicles eaten by the Can Opener.