High detection system on bridge pays off, much less offenders and damage
The height of the trucks is measured by a camera. LED signs warn drivers if their vehicle is too high. The preliminary results of the project are very positive.
Since the beginning of this year, drivers of trucks higher than 4 meters have been given a warning when approaching the Zwaantjesbrug of the Fabiolalaan over the Expresweg (N382) and the canal in Wielsbeke. AWV installed a new system of automatic height detection. An average of 100 over-height trucks drove under the bridge every day. In May, this number now appears to have fallen to 40.
Driving through is not without risk
Yet 2 out of 5 trucks higher than 4 meters still ignore the ban. Drivers know from experience that they just fall short. The bridge is 4 meters and 15 centimeters high at its lowest level. This is not without risk. For example, even if they don’t touch the bridge, the tarpaulin can be ripped off. In addition, it is prohibited by law. In the last 5 years, the bridge has been hit 3 times, resulting in injuries, serious damage to the bridge and loss of cargo. In 2021, there were 522 collisions on bridges or viaducts throughout Flanders.