Maine Drivers Beware: Why Bridges Can Be Icy Even When Roads Aren’t

If you live in Maine and travel, you’ve gone over a bridge or two. When the winter months hit our state hard and you drive over a bridge and feel your wheels slip even though the roads aren’t slippery, there’s a real reason. 

You’re not imagining things, there’s a reason bridges become black ice hotspots during winter.  

Did you know that black ice isn’t actually black, according to Wikipedia. 

It’s a almost invincible layer of ice that is created when water on the road refreezes as temps drop drown below freezing.

And because it’s clear and you can barely see it, it’ll blend with the black pavement, thus “black ice.” Folks on the road don’t normally notice it until it’s too late.  

But why are bridges even more dangerous when it comes to black ice, compared to regular roads?

Why Bridges Freeze Faster and Black Ice Is So Dangerous

Well, according to WGME, the biggest factor is the temperature. Unlike regulars roads, which sock up the residual heat from the earth beneath it, the surface of bridges are exposed on every side to that frigidly cold air. 

With that cold air circulating above and below the deck, the bridges cool and then freeze much much faster than the regular roads leading to them.  

This is why you will see yellow signs warning you before crossing that “Bridge May Be Icy” and you should always take those signs seriously.  

Black ice is like dark magic and will mysteriously form over night when the temperatures dip below freezing.  

So for Maine drivers if you find yourself driving over Sunday River Bridge, Hemlock Bridge, Parsonsfield-Porter Bridge, or the many others our state has to offer, your best defense is slow and steady.

That always wins the race. Drop your speed a bit before hitting any bridges because black ice can make all the difference between a smooth trip and one that’ll change your life.