Do You Wait Or Bail When The New Bedford Fairhaven Bridge Opens For Boats

It has been a tough week to be a bridge in New Bedford.

The New Bedford Fairhaven Bridge has struggled to stay operational this week, breaking down during critical daytime hours. Of course, the bridge could not have broken down overnight when most of the SouthCoast is sleeping. Instead, the breakdowns wreaked havoc on afternoon drive traffic, affecting intersections as far away as Faunce Corner Road in Dartmouth.

Gazelle ended up getting caught in the traffic not once, but twice this week. He told us that he pulled up to the bridge and waited nearly 30 minutes before realizing there was a problem and the bridge was not going to open anytime soon.

That got us wondering.

Are You A Bridge Waiter Or A Bridge Bailer?

When it comes to the New Bedford Fairhaven Bridge, are you a waiter or a bailer?

Do you turn around and bail at the first sign that the bridge is closed to traffic, fleeing to Main Street and Howland Road in Fairhaven and eventually crossing the smaller Coggeshall Street Bridge

Or do you stay put and wait it out?

Why I Always Wait At The Bridge

I am a waiter and there is a legitimate reason why.

My wife and I once did a little experiment. We were driving downtown in separate cars when the bridge closed. She stayed and waited for it to reopen while I decided to do the full Fairhaven loop.

When we arrived at the restaurant, we pulled in at the exact same time.

Turning around and trucking through Fairhaven did not save a minute of time. That is why I usually choose to just wait at the bridge.

The Case For Being A Bridge Bailer

On the other side of the argument is Michaela. She is a bailer.

She says she does not care if the Fairhaven loop saves time or not. She simply wants to keep moving instead of sitting still in traffic.

And honestly, she's not wrong.

What Do You Do When The Bridge Closes?

So now the question goes to you.

When the New Bedford Fairhaven Bridge closes to traffic, are you a waiter or a bailer?

Do you wait it out and hope it opens soon, or do you immediately turn around and take the long way through Fairhaven?