Baltimore Bridge Collapse Report Released: Bridges in New York and New Jersey Need Assessment for Ship Collision Risk

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released its latest report this week, indicating that there are over ten bridges in New York and New Jersey with potential risks of collapsing due to unknown degrees of vulnerability to ship collisions. The list includes some iconic bridges in New York City, such as the Manhattan Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge, and George Washington Bridge.

This report is part of the ongoing investigation into the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on March 26th last year. The NTSB has issued a call to all owners and managers of the 68 bridges across the United States, urging them to reassess the risks of bridge collapses due to ship collisions using the standards designated by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO).

During a press conference on Thursday, the agency stated that requiring safety inspections of bridges does not necessarily imply an imminent risk of collapse, but rather that the organizations managing the bridges are “unaware” of the risks of bridges collapsing due to ship collisions.

“We have informed bridge owners that they need to understand the risks and determine what actions need to be taken to ensure safety,” said NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy at the press conference, emphasizing that there are “no excuses” and that action must be taken as public safety depends on it.

The list of at-risk bridges in New York and New Jersey includes:
– Verrazano Narrows Bridge
– Brooklyn Bridge
– Manhattan Bridge
– Williamsburg Bridge
– Newburgh-Beacon Bridge
– Rip Van Winkle Bridge
– Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge
– George Washington Bridge
– Outerbridge Crossing Bridge
– Seaway International Bridge
– Thousand Islands Bridge
– Commodore Barry Bridge
– Vincent R. Casciano Bridge

According to the NTSB report, as early as 1991, AASHTO issued guidelines on how to calculate bridge vulnerability assessments that all bridges must undergo; in 2009, AASHTO again recommended that all old bridges undergo this assessment.

However, the 68 bridges listed in the report were built before the publication of AASHTO guidelines and “frequently experience ocean vessel traffic,” yet they have not undergone assessments. Hence, the owners of these bridges have not been aware of the risks of ship collisions leading to collapses.

On March 26, 2024, a cargo ship named “Dali” with a length of 984 feet and flying the flag of Singapore experienced power and propulsion failures while leaving the port of Baltimore. It collided with a pier supporting the central truss span of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing the pier to collapse and resulting in the deaths of six construction workers.