The head of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has raised serious concerns regarding negligence on the part of Maryland authorities in relation to last year’s tragic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, located near the Port of Baltimore.
During a recent press briefing, NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy stated that the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) should have proactively “conducted a vulnerability assessment” to evaluate the bridge’s resilience in the event of a potential ship collision.
This incident occurred on March 26, 2024, when the Singapore-flagged M/V Dali lost power and collided with a support column of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The collapse resulted in the heartbreaking loss of six road workers who were undertaking pothole repairs at the time.
Homendy emphasized the critical nature of such assessments, noting, “If the assessment had been completed, the MDTA would have recognized that this essential bridge exceeded the AASHTO threshold of risk for catastrophic collapse due to a vessel collision.” This reference pertains to guidelines set forth by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
Moreover, Ms. Homendy alerted the public to a broader issue, warning that numerous bridges across the United States face similar vulnerabilities to catastrophic events.
“The 30 owners of 68 bridges spanning navigable waterways frequented by oceangoing vessels may be unaware of the risks their bridges face in terms of potential catastrophic collapse from vessel collisions,” she pointed out.
Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, Ms. Homendy urged bridge owners to reassess, stating, “It’s imperative to evaluate the potential need for countermeasures to enhance the resilience of these bridges.”
The list of at-risk structures includes the nearby Chesapeake Bay Bridge, underscoring the widespread nature of this challenge.
Plans for the reconstruction of the Key Bridge are already in motion, with the Maryland Transportation Authority estimating the cost to be around $2 billion (€1.84 billion). Officials anticipate that the new bridge will reopen to traffic by 2028.
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International – Monitoring.
