The warning from the National Transportation and Safety Board comes as a result of the investigation into the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland
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After the devastating collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, last year, federal officials are calling for safety evaluations of 68 bridges across the country, including three major bridges in Massachusetts and two others in Rhode Island and New Hampshire.
The NTSB identified the Tobin, Sagamore and Bourne bridges as needing vulnerability assessments concerning their risk for collapse in the event of a collision. The recommendation comes as a result of the investigation into the collapse of the Baltimore bridge last year.
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The Key Bridge collapsed after it was struck by a container ship on March 24, 2024, killing six people and causing massive disruptions at the Port of Baltimore. An NTSB investigation found that the bridge was almost 30 times above the acceptable risk threshold for critical or essential bridges, as determined by guidance from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, or AASHTO.
The inclusion of the Massachusetts bridges on the list of those in need of evaluation does not mean they are at imminent risk of collision or collapse - it only means they were built before the AASHTO guidance existed and that the assessment has not been done. The NTSB recommends that bridge owners evaluate the sites and establish a comprehensive risk reduction plan.
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The MassDOT confirmed Thursday that the agency has received the notice and intends to act on any necessary safety measures.
"After the Keys Bridge collapse in Maryland in March 2024, Governor Healey immediately convened experts from MassDOT, the U.S. Coast Guard, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, and the Boston Harbor Pilots to discuss the potential for similar risks to the Tobin Bridge and other Massachusetts bridges. The group confirmed that Massachusetts uses more robust maritime safety practices and that the risk of a similar incident in Massachusetts at the Tobin and other bridges is very low," MassDOT said in a statement.
Other New England bridges on the list include Newport's Claiborne Pell Bridge in Rhode Island and the Memorial Bridge, which carries Route 1 from New Hampshire to Maine.
