In wake of Baltimore bridge crash, questions arise about pier protection for NYC spans
NEW YORK -- It has been just over a week since the devastating Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore. The incident had us wondering if other bridges are strong enough to take that kind of hit.
CBS New York investigative reporter Tim McNicholas went to get answers.
Many engineering experts said any bridge would have collapsed if a massive vessel struck its pier, the structure supporting the bridge. That included City College of New York's Anil Agrawal, at least at first.
"Later on we were talking, and I said, well, that may not necessarily be true," Agrawal said.
So his team at City College ran a simulation based on a bridge in the Southeastern U.S. it has been studying for years.
"We applied an impact force," Agrawal said.
It shows the bridge would stay standing after a crash like the one in Baltimore, but it would collapse with about 30% more force.
The bridge in the Southeast, which Agrawal can't name because he doesn't have the operator's permission, was designed about 25 years ago.
"It's just a stronger pier, designed as per the new guidelines," Agrawal said.
However, the researchers say the bridge would still be heavily damaged, requiring major repairs. So they say it's essential for bridges to also have pier protection -- barriers to prevent vessels from hitting the pier.
Especially older bridges.
"We are in good shape and we're safe," said Joe Keane, chief engineer for MTA Bridges and Tunnels.
The MTA says the piers under its bridges, like the Verrazzano-Narrows, are adequately protected, and the agency has recently improved some of its other bridges.
"And, more recently, we've implemented several substantial capital projects that have either replaced or added additional protection to those bridges," Keane said.
Federal records show some local bridges operated by the city over the East River lack pier protection, including the Brooklyn Bridge. However, the Department of Transportation says its piers have larger concrete pedestals than the Key Bridge and the ships on the East River are much smaller than the ship in Baltimore.
Still, Agrawal said it's worth taking a close look at whether more protection is needed on any bridges. His team is still researching and he said it is interested in simulating with local bridges.
There are larger ships in New York Harbor, but all container ships in the New York Harbor must be guided by a pilot in a tug boat.
As for ships on the Hudson River, records show the George Washington Bridge does have functional pier protection. And the Port Authority says the ships that pass under it are much smaller than the ship that struck the Key Bridge.
The Port Authority released the following statement:
"We hold our crossings to the highest safety standards with industry-leading protection systems in place. Container ships like the Dali do not pass under the Outerbridge Crossing, Goethals, or George Washington bridges, and the vessels that do pass underneath are one-third the tonnage and 400 feet shorter than the Dali. At the Bayonne Bridge, the New York and New Jersey abutments are outside of the navigational channel and container ships would run aground before coming in contact with the bridge abutments. It, like all our other water-based bridge towers, also includes fender systems for additional protection. Container ships also have the benefit of being guided in by multiple tugboats and expert on-ship pilots."