DELAWARE — “A little off the top” is a request that usually comes from a barber’s chair, not when driving under an overpass.
Yet, that isn’t the case for truck drivers (with trailers taller than 12 feet, 7 inches) driving underneath the West Central Avenue bridge known as “The Can Opener.”
The railroad overpass earned its name for ripping the tops of trucks clean off — or in less impressive fashion, wedging them underneath its steel.
The immovable villain is so infamous that is has its own Facebook group where nearly 6,000 members keep a running score of its victims.
The city attempted to slow the shearings in 2018 when they installed a $165,000 laser-activated warning system to accompany 13 advance warning signs — six to the east, seven to the west.
The laser system only activates when an approaching vehicle exceeds the height limit. When the system trips, a large billboard-sized sign illuminates a warning for all who dare proceed.
“Studies show that motorists are more likely to obey a traffic control device that abruptly turns on verses one that continuously operates,” said Bob Hogensen, communications specialist for the city of Delaware.
Hogensen added that officials have discussed raising or lowering the pavement below the bridge over the years.
However, “for various reasons, including the high cost, impact on residents and railroad cooperation, the current laser beacon system was deemed a more practical response,” he said.
But how many bridge-attacks has the Delaware Police Department responded to, and what are the repercussions (besides losing your load) for having a run-in with The Can Opener?
Most importantly, why does this keep happening?
“If I had the answer to that, I’d be police chief for life,” Chief Adam Moore said.
Year-to-date incidents and other statistics
Moore said officers have responded to 10 complaints of trucks needing to turn around, three bridge strikes and issued four citations under the low-bridge ordinance just this year.
“Regarding the turnaround complaints, that number reflects only the calls we received. In several cases, the trucks were already gone when we arrived, had completed their own turnaround, and/or did not require our assistance,” he said in an email.
“I’d also note that there are certainly times when no one calls us at all.”
The city’s low-bridge ordinance, passed in 2006 as a response to overpass strikes, carries misdemeanor-level punishments with fines ranging from $200 to $1,000 depending on severity.
Moore said 2025, the police department had 18 turnaround complaints, eight reports of the bridge being struck and 11 citations issued.
“Overall, the police response numbers have remained consistent since the installation of the alert/detection system,” he said.
“Anecdotally, the severity of the strikes has been significantly reduced, which helps us with cleanup efforts and allows the roadway to reopen much faster.”
The sheer cost
The city doesn’t have a set price tag for each bridge strike. The number of employees and the pieces of equipment needed in response can raise or lower the city’s cost.
“[An incident may require] police officers only, or [it may need] public works staff, trucks, a skid loader, etc.,” Moore said. “It also depends on the length of closure.
“Also, I think it’s important to understand, the closure has a value impact on residents, commuters and business traffic delayed by the road being impassable.”
As for why drivers continue to lose their lids, Moore said there isn’t one clear answer.
“Over time, drivers have shared various explanations with us, including believing there was a margin of safety built into the posted height, receiving incorrect routing information from GPS or dispatchers, not knowing the exact height of their vehicle, or confusing State Route 37 (West Central) with U.S. Route 36 (West William),” he said.
“It is also important to note that many standard GPS applications are designed for passenger vehicles and do not account for commercial‑vehicle restrictions such as bridge‑height limitations, unlike dedicated commercial‑routing systems.”
