More than 12 bridges in New York and New Jersey are one of 68 US intersections where you should check for risk of collapse if you are hit by a vessel. The National Traffic Safety Commission said.
The Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, Williamsburg Bridge and George Washington Bridge (the most trafficked bridge in the world) were named in a new NTSB report to require an assessment and risk reduction plan after the collapse of the stunning Francis Scott Key Bridge last year.
Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and Outerbridge Crossing (linking Brooklyn and New Jersey to Staten Island, respectively) also made a list.
In New Jersey, Admirals Newark Bay Bridge and Barry Bridge were named in need of inspections.
It is not certain that the ship will collapse in collisions, but the bridge was identified as crossing the waterways that were frequently visited by vessels designed before current safety standards were established.
Other Hudson River intersections north of the city included the Newburgh Beacon Bridge and the Rip Van Winkle Bridge.
Three bridges connecting New York to Canada were also named in the report: Ogdensburg Prescott International Bridge, Seaway International Bridge and Thousand Island Bridge.
The 26-page report published Thursday was triggered by the Key Bridge disaster in Baltimore. There, a containership named Dali collides with the span and collapses into the Patapsko River. Eight construction workers plunged into cold frozen water. Six people have died.
The NTSB said the report “does not suggest that the 68 bridges will certainly collapse.” Instead, 30 bridge owners recommend that the span be “determined to see if it exceeds the acceptable risk threshold established by the AASHTO (American Highway Association and Transportation Officers).
“If so, we will encourage the development and implementation of risk reduction plans that include input from interdisciplinary teams, identify short-term and long-term strategies to mitigate risk, and consider the safety of the waterway vessels and structures,” the agency said.
The NTSB has requested the Federal Highways Administration, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Army Corps of Engineers to develop a team that will guide bridge owners to assess risk.
Other bridges listed by the agency were in Georgia, Florida, Maryland, Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington and Washington, California, and represented the Golden Gate Bridge.
The 980-foot Dali, carrying around 130,000 tons of cargo, lost power around 1:30am on March 26, shortly after leaving the port in Baltimore, and was destined to sail to Sri Lanka when he crossed the bridge.
NTSB did not provide updates regarding reports crashes.
