Who Is Knocking All Of These Down on Mid-Hudson Bridge?

Some might call it an age old question, I just call it annoying, especially because it happens almost daily.

For anyone who travels regularly on the Mid-Hudson Bridge, Poughkeepsie to Highland, or vice-versa, chances are you and I share a fear, a fear about an orange cylinder flying into the air and smashing into your car, am I right?

Turn Back The Clock To 2019

This is not a new fear of mine, in fact, it happens to be a fear that has grown stronger with time, since that time my car was in fact victim to one of the orange pole dividers on the Mid Hudson Bridge about six years ago.

V.Turco

Back in early 2019, a few days after a snowstorm, I was driving from Ulster into Dutchess County, and a truck hit one of those orange things, formally known as warning poles, and seemingly without warning, it hit and damaged my car. After a car wash to really see the damage, and following a lengthy insurance claim, my car was repaired, but I still cringe every time I drive the bridge.

Six 'Warning Poles' Down For The Count

Earlier this morning (Thursday), between 8:00 and 8:30am, I was traveling westbound from Poughkeepsie into Highland, and as I wrapped around from that highly controversial exchange to get on the bridge, I noticed an orange warning pole laying down on the road...admittedly, I laughed.

REMEMBER WHEN: Comedian Vic DiBitetto Had Choice Words About Getting On The Mid Hudson Bridge

As I continued my journey into Ulster County, I counted not two or three, but six poles off their designated divider spots, laying in the roadway, and that was just on the westbound side. As I watched as cars swerved to avoid them, I wondered if someone came barreling onto the bridge and took all of them out, or it was just a morning's worth of hits.

canva

Naturally a truck ahead of me hit one, but thankfully I was hanging back far enough when it flew over to the eastbound lane. I still flinched and let out some choice words though, that hasn't changed.

Does anyone else get annoyed by these things, and find that they're laying in the road or being knocked into the air more than they're actually up?

NTSB Wants Vulnerability Assessments On 11 New York Bridges

This follows an investigation into a bridge collapse in Baltimore. Officials are worried these bridges could collapse if they are hit by a large vessel.