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Rachel Abbott was near Raleigh’s Peace Street bridge Thursday, looking at the aftermath of a truck that had snagged the low-clearance railroad bridge, when she heard another crash.
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“I just hear this deep boom, and I was like, ‘No way,’” said Abbott, owner of The Rabbott Party Bus and a commercial driver’s license (CDL) holder.
Abbott had gone to the area near West Street, close to the Cardinal Bar, after a Ryder box truck struck the bridge and pulled away with its roof peeled back. While she was there, she heard another crash and saw a semi-truck lodged beneath the crossing.
The crash scattered debris and stopped an approaching train while officials checked the scene, Abbott said. She also saw other trucks scrape the bridge while the truck remained stuck.
The two crashes are just the latest involving the bridge, coined the “Peace Street Peeler” online after peeling back the roofs of trucks trying to pass beneath it. Abbott estimates about five trucks struck the bridge in July. The News & Observer asked the Raleigh Police Department for exact crash numbers but has not heard back.
Police told ABC11, The News & Observer’s newsgathering partner, later Friday that 13 crashes have been reported between January 2021 and July. That number doesn’t include the two from Thursday or the five trucks that got stuck under the bridge, ABC11 reports.
The railroad bridge has a clearance of 12 feet 4 inches, with multiple signs warning drivers before they reach the crossing, according to the N.C. Department of Transportation.
Knowing a vehicle’s height and paying attention to clearance restrictions are important responsibilities for anyone driving a large vehicle. Abbott said drivers should avoid putting themselves in situations where they are not sure their vehicle can safely pass.
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“There’s always an alternative route, and if it takes you an extra few minutes, get over it and take the extra few minutes,” she said.
Low-clearance bridges are not unique to Raleigh. Durham’s “Can Opener” bridge on Gregson Street faced similar issues for years, until NCDOT installed a traffic signal and digital warning sign and the N.C. Railroad Company raised the bridge by 8 inches, The N&O previously reported. Still, trucks occasionally strike the bridge.
NCDOT does not own the bridge or maintain that section of Peace Street, said Kim Deaner, a spokesperson with NCDOT. Norfolk Southern operates trains on the tracks, but has said it does not own the tracks or bridge structure, according to reporting from ABC11, The N&O’s news-gathering partner.
Deaner said truck drivers should not rely only on traditional GPS apps when driving larger vehicles because those systems often do not account for height restrictions. NCDOT is encouraging drivers to pay attention to clearance signs before traveling under overpasses.
Some of the recent incidents at the Peace Street bridge have involved rental box trucks. Deaner said drivers renting these vehicles may be less familiar with their height, which could be one factor in some of the crashes.
“People are renting these trucks and maybe not paying attention to that particular fact when they walk out the door,” Deaner said.
CDL training teaches drivers things like knowing their vehicle’s height and understanding how much space it takes up to know when they can safely pass, Abbott said.
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Her own CDL instructor’s advice was simple: “When in doubt, just stop.”
This story was originally published July 31, 2026 at 3:18 PM.