NTSB urges look at collapse risk for bridges, including in NYC
Nearly a dozen bridges across New York State, including some of the most highly trafficked spans in New York City's five boroughs, are at an unknown risk of "catastrophic collapse from a vessel collision" and government officials should implement a plan to improve their safety, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a report this week.
The findings were issued as part of the NTSB's investigation into the March 26, 2024, collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore after a passing cargo ship, the Dali, struck it, killing six construction workers.
The NTSB identified 68 bridges nationwide, owned by 30 municipalities or agencies, that have an "unknown level of risk of collapse" because of their respective age, design and the lack of a vulnerability assessment based on recent vessel traffic. All the bridges span over navigable waterways that are frequented by oceangoing vessels, according to the report.
"What we are telling bridge owners is that they need to know the risk and determine what actions they need to take to ensure safety," NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said in a news conference Thursday, adding that an increased risk level doesn't indicate a collapse is imminent.
Among the downstate New York bridges identified in the report are the Verrazano Narrows, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg, George Washington and Outerbridge Crossing.
The Port Authority, which owns the George Washington and Outerbridge Crossing bridges, said in a statement that container ships similar to the one involved in the Maryland crash didn't pass under their bridges and the vessels that did traverse the area were shorter and carry one-third the tonnage.
In addition, Steve Burns, a Port Authority spokesman, said Friday their bridges had added levels of protection while container ships were guided in by tugboats and on-ship local pilots.
"We hold our crossings to the highest safety standards with industry-leading protection systems in place," Burns said.
The New York City Department of Transportation, which owns the Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburg bridges, said it's "reviewing" the NTSB's request, spokesman Vincent Barone said Friday.
The East River, where the three bridges are, cannot accommodate large vessels and doesn't have a major freight terminal. Meanwhile, city DOT bridges have large concrete pedestals for added safety, according to the transportation agency.
The MTA, which owns the Verrazano, didn't immediately respond Friday to a request for comment.
The report recommends that the Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Coast Guard and Army Corps of Engineers provide assistance to regional bridge owners on ways to reduce the risk of a bridge collapse from a vessel collision.
In a statement, the Coast Guard said it agreed with the recommendation, adding it had formed a "Ports and Waterways Safety Board of Inquiry" to assess navigational safety risks and identify mitigation strategies.
The Army Corps said it was reviewing the recommendations while the FHA did not respond to requests for comment.
Robert Sinclair, spokesman for AAA Northeast, said the NTSB's findings were unsurprising.
"We've got a lot of heavy ship traffic, and it gets very busy, and we've got a lot of structures here," Sinclair said, adding that the bridges cited in the report are well-maintained and drivers should feel confident driving on them.
In its report, the NTSB said the Maryland Transportation Authority failed to conduct a recommended vulnerability assessment for the Francis Scott Key Bridge before the crash.
"Had they ran the calculation ... the MDTA would have been aware that the bridge was almost 30 times greater than the risk threshold [American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials] sets for critical essential bridges," Homendy said.
In a statement, the MDTA said it was reviewing the NTSB recommendations, adding that the "catastrophe and the tragic loss of life was the sole fault of the DALI and the gross negligence of her owners and operators who put profits above safety."
With Andrew Ehinger
Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.
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