The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse web site this month. (Kevin Richardson/Baltimore Solar/TNS)
[Stay on top of transportation news: Get TTNews in your inbox.]
The Maryland Transportation Authority didn’t conduct a danger evaluation that, if acted upon, might have allowed the state to guard the Francis Scott Key Bridge from collapsing, the Nationwide Transportation Security Board’s chair stated March 20.
Such a vulnerability evaluation would have discovered the bridge was extremely weak to a vessel collision, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy stated.
Homendy stated the federal board needed to conduct its personal vulnerability evaluation of the Key Bridge whereas investigating its collapse practically a yr in the past. The state had a long time to conduct such a examine primarily based on nationwide requirements, however by no means did, she stated. It additionally had not performed an identical examine of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, leaving it as one in every of dozens that the NTSB has recognized as nonetheless having an “unknown degree of danger” if struck by a vessel.
“This isn’t new, MDTA might have performed this analysis quite a few occasions over the previous a number of a long time,” Homendy stated.
This report was issued as a part of our ongoing investigation of the March 26, 2024, containership Dali’s contact with the Francis Scott Key Bridge, & the bridge’s subsequent collapse. A remaining report with security suggestions & the possible trigger, can be launched in late 2025.
— NTSB (@NTSB) March 20, 2025
Had the MDTA performed a vulnerability evaluation primarily based on current vessel site visitors, the company would have been conscious that the chance of a “catastrophic collapse from a vessel collision” was practically 30 occasions larger than requirements set by the American Affiliation of State Freeway and Transportation Officers. The March 26, 2024, collapse might have been prevented if the MDTA had performed the examine and took motion to guard the bridge, she stated.
Homendy, leveling a strict criticism of the state on the NTSB headquarters in Washington, D.C., stated there was “no excuse” that Maryland officers had not performed the vulnerability assessments and that they didn’t even have the information vital to take action. She faulted the state for not accumulating information on vessel site visitors and stated it remained unclear whether or not it was doing so now for different bridges.
“That was a shock to all of us,” she stated of the outcomes of her company’s personal evaluation of the Key Bridge. “However it’s one thing that MDTA might have identified and may have identified.”
AASHTO had set requirements and really helpful the evaluations within the Nineties. Maryland had been on the manager committee that developed these suggestions, and through a 2009 replace.
Homendy stated that the board was recommending that the homeowners of practically 70 U.S. bridges in 19 states assess how weak their bridges are to vessel collisions.
Components of the Francis Scott Key Bridge stay after a containership hit one of many bridge’s helps March 26, 2024, in Baltimore. (WJLA by way of Related Press)
Three Maryland bridges are on the record of 68 bridges that the NTSB stated nonetheless have an “unknown degree of danger of collapse” if a vessel struck them. The eastbound and westbound spans of the Bay Bridge are two, and the opposite is the Chesapeake Metropolis Bridge, in-built 1948.
The MDTA, as of October, had not performed a danger evaluation for the Bay Bridge.
Homendy’s briefing on the 4 “pressing” suggestions contained among the most hanging remarks to come back from the board’s practically yearlong investigation of the bridge collapse. The MDTA, which had performed some danger assessments after the September 11 assaults, didn’t instantly reply to Homendy’s remarks.
Nick Darman of Alvys discusses the evolution of transportation administration methods and workflow automation, whereas David Bell of CloneOps.ai shares insights from the Manifest 2025 provide chain innovation convention. Tune in above or by going to RoadSigns.ttnews.com.
Spokespeople for Gov. Wes Moore and Senate President Invoice Ferguson each declined remark on the State Home quickly after the press convention ended.
The chance of a catastrophic collision was practically 50 occasions better for the assist column that the Dali freighter hit early within the morning after the cargo ship misplaced energy and management, Homendy stated.
She stated that the NTSB would launch over 1,000 paperwork associated to its investigation of collapse over the previous yr. A preliminary NTSB report from final Could laid out a timeline that included a number of electrical blackouts on the Dali instantly earlier than and after it departed the Port of Baltimore. The subsequent month, the board stated it had zeroed in on a small electrical part that they linked to the facility outages.
Pre-construction work started earlier this yr on a brand new bridge to switch the span that collapsed, killing six development staff. Officers hope to open the brand new bridge by fall 2028.
The federal authorities is predicted to cowl the price of the brand new bridge, which is projected to be as much as $1.9 billion. Insurance coverage claims and lawsuits might cowl a big chunk of these prices.
A part of the pre-construction work entails blasting the spans that stay within the Patapsco River. That demolition work will not be but scheduled however is predicted in late spring to early summer time, Maryland Transportation Authority spokesperson Bradley Tanner stated. In the meantime, the 984-foot Dali went again to sea in January.
Together with the NTSB investigation, the FBI additionally boarded the Dali final April for what gave the impression to be a separate investigation into attainable violations of federal felony legal guidelines, additionally boarding an identical ship months later. A separate Maryland Occupational Security and Well being investigation led to a effective towards Brawner Builders, the development agency that the crew was working for.
