New York has nearly a dozen bridges in need of risk assessment, NTSB report says
A new report from the National Transportation Safety Board is raising questions about the safety of dozens of bridges across the country.
The report identified 68 bridges in 19 states, including several in New York, that it says don't have a "current vulnerability assessment."
"We are saying there is a safety deficiency here, a potential safety risk, and you need to take immediate action," NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy announced Thursday.
In New York City, the Brooklyn, George Washington, Manhattan, Outerbridge Crossing, Verrazano Narrows and Williamsburg bridges are all on the list. There are two others in the Hudson Valley, and three connecting New York to Canada.
New Jersey is also listed for the Commodore Barry Bridge over the Delaware River and the Vincent R. Casciano Bridge over Newark Bay.
- New York City: Brooklyn Bridge
- New York City: George Washington Bridge
- New York City: Manhattan Bridge
- New York City: Outerbridge Crossing Bridge
- New York City: Verrazano Narrows Bridge (eastbound)
- New York City: Verrazano Narrows Bridge (westbound)
- New York City: Williamsburg Bridge
- Hudson Valley: Newburgh-Beacon Bridge (eastbound)
- Hudson Valley: Newburgh-Beacon Bridge (westbound)
- Hudson Valley: Rip Van Winkle Bridge
- Canadian border: Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge
- Canadian border: Seaway International Bridge
- Canadian border: Thousand Islands Bridge
- New Jersey: Commodore Barry Bridge
- New Jersey: Vincent R. Casciano (Newark Bay) Bridge
The other states include California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin.
The NTSB said the report does not suggest these bridges will collapse, but their owners should evaluate whether they are within the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' acceptable level of risk.
"I want to emphasize, because we don't want to see headlines naming a bridge of being at risk of collapse or imminent risk of collapse, a risk level above the acceptable threshold doesn't mean a collapse from a vessel collision is an absolute certainty," Homendy said. "Likewise, a bridge designed with a risk level below the acceptable threshold doesn't guarantee that a collapse from a vessel collision won't occur."
The NTSB issued recommendations to 30 bridge owners across the country, and Homendy said the agency will follow up to coordinate with federal highways.
"We will follow up with all of the bridge owners. Over time, we will follow up with federal highway," said Homendy. "So we expect action, and we have an entire team that follows up on those recommendations and will do so."
The report comes nearly a year after a cargo ship called the Dali crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, killing six people. Investigators found the bridge was almost 30 times over the acceptable risk level for a collision.
What can protect bridges from vessel collisions?
A CBS News report highlights a $95 million South Jersey project where eight manmade steel islands are being installed to protect the Delaware Memorial Bridge from a vessel collision.
"You need something that will absorb the energy of an impact because the bridge structure is not designed to take such an impact in most cases," said Magued Iskander, with NYU Tandon's Civil and Urban Engineering Department.
Iskander says fender systems are an option.
"That would flex under the ship to take the impact," he said.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey says many of its bridges, including the GWB, are protected by fender systems.
"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," a Port Authority spokesperson said in a statement.
