An article titled "The Deadly History Of This Delaware Bridge Is Terrifying But True" is definitely clickbait (and not very well written) but it actually provides an interesting history of a bridge I drove over many times, especially to and from summer jobs in southern Delaware.
The first span of the latest Indian River Inlet Bridge seemed to hold up for a bit, and Delaware added a second span in 1976. Traffic on the bridge was constantly heavy. The inlet was relentless, though, and the water scoured the bridge's supports wave after wave. This bridge would not be the brick house that the Big Bad Wolf could not break down.
By 1989, significant damage was noted and the bridge was declared "structurally deficient", with collapse possible after one more severe storm. Still, the bridge stayed in use. As traffic got heavier and heavier, over 14,000 travelers crossed each span every day.
If you grew up driving over this bridge, chances are you took several trips up and down each span, all while it was structurally deficient.
My dad, who was born and raised in the same area, has told me several times that the Indian River Inlet was a good example of man trying to reign in nature. Winds, waves, and tides have shifted this coastal landscape for millenia, how is a bridge to withstand that?
As for clickbait, this same article was posted to the same site in 2016 under the title, "This Breathtaking Bridge In Delaware Has An Unexpected And Dark History". Nice.
