that lovely "little" bridge in Jacksonville….

[fortpartyof4 108]

This has been discussed many times on FF, in many threads.  95 or 295 through Jacksonville?

 

As someone who lived there for over 20 years and had to take the Dames Point bridge daily to work for many of them, I always chimed in with my two pennies and tried to tell everyone that 95 is better if you're towing or driving an RV.  (Dames Point is the big ole suspension bridge on 295)  The time saved isn't very significant, as 295 has gotten just as bad in terms of traffic sometimes, and since 95 has been expanded it isn't bad going through the city.

 

Today I saw this story posted on a friend's FB wall, and it confirmed the fears I have always had about that daggum scary bridge!  

 

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/story/traffic/2014/11/17/trucks-overturn-dames-point-bridge/19189183/

 

 

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

That's scary.

That truck looks like it could have fallen off of that bridge.

[ependydad...Doug 176]

For 295, is that the east side or west side?

I ask because in 2012, I took the camper down 95 thru Jacksonville about 3pm. It was literally the second most intense driving experience of my life (and this coming from someone who lives dab smack between Washington, DC and Baltimore). I did it again this past June and it wasn't so bad, but I've seen recommendations recently for taking 295 on the east side to bypass 95 in Jacksonville.

[momof3kids-Yvonne 594]

For 295, is that the east side or west side?I ask because in 2012, I took the camper down 95 thru Jacksonville about 3pm. It was literally the second most intense driving experience of my life (and this coming from someone who lives dab smack between Washington, DC and Baltimore). I did it again this past June and it wasn't so bad, but I've seen recommendations recently for taking 295 on the east side to bypass 95 in Jacksonville.

Hey ependydad, I have been meaning to ask. Which village do you live in? I used to live in Owen Brown. Went to Owen Brown Middle and Hammond High.

[ependydad...Doug 176]

Wilde Lake but lived in Oakland Mills when we first moved here from York, PA. It's such A Small World After All!

[ftwildernessguy 778]

Go big or go home. The bridge is not for wienies.

[Duane 150]

I'm with FWG... "no b@lls, no babies!"  Driving over that bridge is the highlight of my trip!  In fact they need to close down a couple of lanes and add a "jersey wall" or two....

[ependydad...Doug 176]

So seriously- is that the east or west direction on 295?

The only bridge I truly fear is Rt. 301 from MD to VA called the Harry P. Nice bridge. Let me tell you- it's brut get hairy nor nice.

[red...Susan 37]

We have to use the Nice bridge to go south. It is terrible. Then you have the boredom of AP Hill to get through!

[ependydad...Doug 176]

We have to use the Nice bridge to go south. It is terrible. Then you have the boredom of AP Hill to get through!

 

I haven't been significantly south of there. There's a Thousand Trails/Outdoor World campground that we go to down there called Harborview near Colonial Beach, VA. I honestly dislike the Nice bridge more than any other that I've been on (Chesapeake Bay Bridge and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel). Heck, I'll even take tunnels over that bridge any day.

[fortpartyof4 108]

So seriously- is that the east or west direction on 295? The only bridge I truly fear is Rt. 301 from MD to VA called the Harry P. Nice bridge. Let me tell you- it's brut get hairy nor nice.

 

East.

 

The west side has a bridge too, but not a suspension bridge, just a veeeerrry long one (I think it's a 2.5 or 3 mile span?).

 

As you see, opinions are divided here.  And, we have some thrill seekers!  Who needs BTMRR when you can whiz over the daunting bridges with an RV in tow in FL???  Who has done the one in St. Pete/Tampa (sunshine skyway, or something like that?)  We took that once in our SUV to go catch a spring training game in Bradenton…..really windy night and not fun at all!

[dblr....Rennie 224]

Wow, I have been over both bridges in discussion and neither one phased me. The Nice bridge is a little scary being only one lane each direction, guess I am just one of the lucky one's where bridges don't bother me. We took the east side of 295 to get to St. Augustine this year and thought it was a nice drive.

[ependydad...Doug 176]

Wow, I have been over both bridges in discussion and neither one phased me. The Nice bridge is a little scary being only one lane each direction, guess I am just one of the lucky one's where bridges don't bother me. We took the east side of 295 to get to St. Augustine this year and thought it was a nice drive.

 

Bridges don't normally phase me. It's just this one. Maybe it's just because we did it so early in our towing career/experience. Not sure.

 

Depending on time of day, I will likely do 295 East.