Durham, Durham County, NC
Norfolk Southern–Gregson Street Overpass — the "Can Opener" (Durham)
Posted clearance 12'4"
- Clearance
- 12'4"
- Carried
- Norfolk Southern railroad
- Crosses
- South Gregson Street
- Location
- Durham, Durham County, NC
187
Reported strikes (2008 – June 2021 (per 11foot8.com))
2
Incident records here
0
Fatalities
—
Injuries (confirmed counts)
Mitigation history: Originally 11'8"; raised to 12'4" in October 2019. Overheight sensors, warning lights, and signage — strikes continue. Documented on video since 2008 at 11foot8.com.
187
strikes · NC · 2008 – June 2021
The internet-famous 11-foot-8 (now 12-foot-4) Norfolk Southern trestle in Durham recorded 187 truck strikes between 2008 and June 2021, per the enthusiast tracker 11foot8.com.
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Incident history
- 187+ documented crashes, 2008 – June 2021 (ongoing) Recurring strikes
The internet-famous 'Can Opener': Durham's Norfolk Southern–Gregson Street overpass has peeled open 187+ trucks on camera since 2008. Raised from 11'8" to 12'4" in 2019; the cans keep coming.
Vehicle: Box trucks, rental trucks, RVs, semi-trailers · Very few reported; no fatalities documented · Brief lane closures for debris removal, typically 1–2 hours · Cause: Driver inattention, rental-truck unfamiliarity, GPS errors — despite signs, sensors and warning lights - September 18, 2017 Clearance strike
A speeding rental truck hit the Can Opener trestle so hard it "popped a wheelie" and lost its entire roof, wedging under the bridge for about an hour and delaying Piedmont train service.
Vehicle: Rental box truck · Truck wedged ~1 hour; Piedmont (Charlotte–Raleigh) trains delayed pending bridge inspection · Cause: Speeding rental truck ignored the 25 mph limit and low-clearance signs