The Texas Bridges That Make Drivers Nervous

(Mix 93-1) Texans use bridges more than they realize, and if it weren't for bridges, we wouldn't be able to get where we're going. Of course, we drive over bridges on our way to work, the grocery store, and shopping. But we also use bridges to get from parking garages to buildings or to access walking and biking trails.

Everyday Bridges Texans Depend On

While most bridges in Texas are rather low and harmless, some are quite daunting and intimidating. Unlike some Texas drivers, I don't have anxiety when crossing a bridge, but many Texans do, especially when you can pass a huge oil tanker under the bridge.

Tallest Bridges That Spark Anxiety

One of the tallest bridges in Texas that I have seen and been across is the bridge on the Sam Houston Parkway (Beltway 8) around Houston, going over the ship channel, which could be considered 'the scariest' I've been on because of its sheer height of 175 feet above the water. Just the incline could give some drivers and passengers anxiety, but I enjoy it because of the surrounding views. I know it can be scary to cross, and I've been on a scarier bridge when I was a young kid, and it was quite sketchy.

Childhood Memory: A Wooden Bridge in Barry

My grandparents lived in the small town of Barry, Texas (west of Corsicana on State Hwy. 22). We would often go to the family farmland, in the bottoms as they referred to it, and to get there, we had to cross this old wooden bridge that was very questionable to say the least. It had no side railings, and the deck boards were lined with your tires, covering rotted gaps in the horizontal planks. It definitely was the most nerve-racking bridge I had ever been across.

While I am sure that bridge has been replaced, or at least hope it has, many other bridges across the Lone Star State give drivers anxiety just like the bridge across the Houston Ship Channel.

READ MORE --> These Texas Cities Are The Most Dangerous To Drive In

Four bridges that scare Texans to death

Houston Ship Channel Bridge - Beltway 8

Crossing the Houston Ship Channel Bridge, you've got to pay attention as the driver. It's a pretty steep incline, but thankfully, you can't see over the railing much unless you're a passenger.

High Five Interchange in North Dallas

If heights scare you, don't look down as you're going from 635 East to 75 South or 635 West to 75 North because these bridges reach a height of around 100 feet or the equivalent of a 12-story building.

Get our free mobile app

Rainbow Bridge in Port Arthur

Another bridge that gives Texans anxiety is the Rainbow Bridge in Port Arthur. This bridge reaches a height of 176.9 feet above the water (TXDOT) and is the steepest bridge in Texas.