The National Transportation Safety Board has recognized 68 bridges throughout 19 states that could be liable to collapse, following “vulnerability assessments.”
In a brand new report, the NTSB identified bridges with “unknown levels” of collapse risk together with well-known landmarks such because the Golden Gate Bridge in California, and the Brooklyn Bridge in New York.
The report and subsequent suggestions come as a part of the continuing investigation into the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore in March 2024, which occurred after the Dali containership collided with the construction.
Over the past 12 months 68 bridges have been recognized as being constructed earlier than 1991 and with out a “present vulnerability evaluation.”
The report urged the bridge house owners to calculate whether or not the chance of a bridge collapse from a vessel collision is above the appropriate danger threshold established by the American Affiliation of State Freeway and Transportation Officers.
“In that case, we urge them to develop and implement a danger discount plan that features enter from the interdisciplinary staff, identifies short- and long-term methods to cut back danger, and considers the protection of the vessels and buildings within the waterways,” the report said.
The suggestions have been issued to 30 house owners of the completely different bridges throughout the nation, the bureau introduced on Thursday.
Seven bridges have been positioned in California, largely within the Bay Space – together with the long-lasting Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. 13 have been named in New York state, together with the Brooklyn Bridge, Williamsburg Bridge and the Manhattan bridge.
Bridges in want of inspection have been additionally recognized in Delaware (3), Florida (2), Georgia (1), Illinois (1), Maryland (3), Massachusetts (4), Michigan (1), New Hampshire (1), New Jersey (2), Ohio (6), Oregon (2), Pennsylvania (4), Rhode island (1), Texas (7), Washington (1) and Wisconsin (1).
A full checklist will be present in Appendix B of the NTSB report.
The bureau famous that the findings doesn’t recommend that the 68 bridges are sure to break down, solely in want of evaluation underneath AASHTO requirements.
On Thursday, federal investigators mentioned that the Maryland Transportation Authority failed to finish a really helpful vulnerability evaluation that might have proven the Francis Scott Key Bridge was at important danger of collapse from a ship strike lengthy earlier than its demise.
The NTSB discovered that the Key Bridge was virtually 30 occasions higher than the appropriate danger threshold for crucial or important bridges.
NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy mentioned Maryland officers have had a long time to evaluate their bridges. She mentioned they nonetheless haven’t assessed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge even after final 12 months’s collapse.
“There’s no excuse,” she mentioned.
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