Why do they call it an, “overpass”?
Before I get into that subject, I would like to relate an event from yesterday. As you may well know, I drive Gabi to school each morning. I often ask her about the previous day’s school and what did they learn in science class. This usually fills the short ride with conversation.
Yesterday as we were driving up the street I noticed two sheriff’s SUVs parked in front of a house. I found it a bit unusual to see sheriff’s vehicles but no police cars at a house in Hewitt.
I commented to Gabi, “They may be there to arrest someone who robbed a bank”. There was no comment from the back seat. I then changed the tactic and said, “Maybe they are there to arrest a kid who didn’t go to school yesterday”.
Gabi explained, “They don’t arrest kids for not going to school”. The rest of the trip was uneventful.
After dropping Gabi off at school, I drove the same route to get back home. This time as I was approaching the house, there was an additional sheriff’s vehicle in front of the house, and they had a man in handcuffs putting him in one of the vehicles.
I guess that means there are bad people living in our community.
Back to the original subject, Overpass. As I understand it, an overpass is a bridge that allows pedestrians, vehicles or trains to pass over another road, train track or water way etc.
As I sat in my recliner this morning pondering why coffee is so good, and how nice the recent rains have been, the thought of an overpass came to mind. I truthfully do not know why I thought of an overpass, unless it was this beneficial rain of a little more than an inch, with more coming.
I guess it is possible that I may have inadvertently thought about crossing a wet area and then overpass came to mind.
Let’s say, one is in a conversation, using proper grammar, would they say, “on the bridge we overpassed the river’, or possibly, “on the bridge we passed over the river”?
I know, all but one of you would say passed over, but that one person reading this commentary is now thinking how to word their rebuke to me.
So why do they call these bridges that pass over other roads etc. “overpass”? As usual, I am here to enlighten and entertain you.
It all started back when Eisenhower was president and they started the interstate highway system. Up to that time these bridges were called bridges regardless of what they crossed over. There was a designer who was working for the federal government attempting to design the new interstate highway system (yes those same people that you voted into office and who can’t blow their nose without having instructions on the handkerchief). She thought it might be confusing to call the bridges a, “Passover” thinking the people might think of the Jewish Passover, so she coined the term, “overpass”.
Now you know why they are called an, “overpass”.
For that person that thinks I am wrong, go look it up.
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Today I drove both Alex and Gabi to school. After dropping The Alex off we headed for The Gabi’s school. I attempted to sing an old song from when I was a kid and Gabi spoke up saying, “grandpa, that song is from the olden days, we have different songs to sing now”.
How do you like that, a reminder from my granddaughter that I am from the olden days?
Don’t pass over a chance to compliment someone today.
Don Ford
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