NTSB Recommends Risk Assessments for Over 60 US Bridges

The NTSB has issued an urgent call for inspections on 68 US bridges, raising significant concerns over potential collapse risks.

Key Takeaways

The NTSB has recommended evaluations of 68 bridges across 19 states to prevent collapse risks.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse highlighted the critical need for regular risk assessments.
Bridges built before 1994 face scrutiny due to outdated design standards.
Significant bridges, such as the Golden Gate and Brooklyn Bridges, are included in this evaluation.

Bridge Collapse Tables Historical Lessons

Following the harrowing collapse of Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, where six construction workers perished, the NTSB has sounded alarm bells over the structural stability of 68 bridges nationwide. This decisive stance emanates from catastrophic damages when a container ship struck the bridge. The incident called into question a crucial safety check missed by authorities, where risk factors turned out to be 30 times over acceptable limits. The disaster starkly showcases consequences of neglected inspections.

The NTSB underscored the unfulfilled obligations of the Maryland Transportation Authority, whose oversight failed to ensure a structural vulnerability assessment. As NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy firmly stated, conducting earlier assessments “would have been able to proactively identify strategies to reduce the risk of collapse and loss of lives associated with a vessel collision.”

Baltimore bridge was 30 times above acceptable risk of collapse, officials say | Baltimore bridge collapse | The Guardian https://t.co/B6T5IBGKKL

— J.M. Hamilton (@jmhamiltonblog) March 21, 2025

Call for Comprehensive Inspections

The NTSB calls for a nationwide review of prominent structures, including the Golden Gate Bridge in California and the Brooklyn Bridge in New York. These inspections will allow for identification and rectification of potential vulnerabilities, particularly after a ship strike, and involve bridges constructed before the year 1994. The NTSB has noted that the current recommendations don’t necessarily indicate immediate danger, but the assessments will determine whether any structures are at significant risk.

Such measures are intended to align with American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ stringent standards. Through proactive evaluations, America’s critical infrastructure can brace against history-repeating disasters. Ultimately, this initiative wrestles degradation risks in a bid to safeguard lives and preserve pivotal transport links.

See the list of bridges here:

California – Antioch Bridge
California – Richmond-San Rafael Bridge
California – Benicia-Martinez Bridge
California – Golden Gate Bridge
California – San Mateo-Hayward Bridge
California – Coronado Bridge
California – Carquinez Bridge
Delaware – Summit Bridge
Delaware – Reedy Point Bridge
Delaware – Saint Georges Bridge
Florida – Napoleon Bonaparte Broward Bridge (Dames Point Bridge)
Florida – Sunshine Skyway Bridge
Georgia – Talmadge Bridge
Illinois – Chicago Skyway Calumet River Bridge
Louisiana – Israel LaFleur Bridge
Louisiana – Horace Wilkinson Bridge
Louisiana – Greater New Orleans Bridge
Louisiana – Hale Boggs (Luling) Bridge
Louisiana – Gramercy (Veterans Memorial) Bridge
Louisiana – Crescent City Connection Bridge
Louisiana – Huey P. Long Bridge
Louisiana – Sunshine Bridge
Maryland – Chesapeake City Bridge
Maryland – William Preston Lane Jr. (Bay) Bridge (east)
Maryland – William Preston Lane Jr. (Bay) Bridge (west)
Massachusetts – Tobin Bridge (south upper)
Massachusetts – Tobin Bridge (north lower)
Massachusetts – Sagamore Bridge
Massachusetts – Bourne Bridge
Michigan – Mackinac Bridge Mackinac Bridge
New Hampshire – Memorial Bridge
New Jersey – Vincent R. Casciano (Newark Bay) Bridge
New Jersey – Commodore Barry Bridge
New York – Williamsburg Bridge
New York – Outerbridge Crossing Bridge
New York – Verrazano Narrows Bridge (east)
New York – Verrazano Narrows Bridge (west)
New York – Manhattan Bridge
New York – Newburgh-Beacon Bridge (east)
New York – Newburgh-Beacon Bridge (west)
New York – Rip Van Winkle Bridge
New York – Brooklyn Bridge
New York – Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge
New York – George Washington Bridge
New York – Thousand Islands Bridge
New York – Seaway International Bridge
Ohio – LUC-00002-1862 (Anthony Wayne) Bridge
Ohio – CUY-00490-0010 (I-490) Bridge
Ohio – CUY-00006-1456 (Detroit Avenue) Bridge
Ohio – CUY-00002-1441 (Main Avenue) Bridge
Ohio – LUC-01W02-0002 (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial) Bridge
Ohio – CUY-00010-1613 (Carnegie Avenue) Bridge
Oregon – Astoria-Megler Bridge
Oregon – St. Johns Bridge
Pennsylvania – Betsy Ross Bridge
Pennsylvania – Benjamin Franklin Bridge
Pennsylvania – Walt Whitman Bridge
Pennsylvania – Delaware River Turnpike Bridge
Rhode Island – Claiborne Pell Newport Bridge
Texas – Buffalo Bayou Toll Bridge
Texas – Sidney Sherman Bridge
Texas – GulfGate Bridge
Texas – Veterans Memorial Bridge
Texas – Rainbow Bridge
Texas – Hartman Bridge (east)
Texas – Hartman Bridge (west)
Wisconsin – Leo Frigo Bridge
Washington – Lewis and Clark Bridge

Future Steps in Bridge Safety

These concerted efforts aim to prevent tragedies similar to the 1980 collapse of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Florida by forethought and disciplined regulatory compliance. Preemptive plans are underway for consistent assessments to be carried out on the specified bridges. Recommendations were set forth to the managerial bodies, emphasizing immediate attention and action.

Among the giants in urban landscapes, significant inspections are queued for the Brooklyn Bridge and George Washington Bridge, whereas Californians can expect evaluations of the Golden Gate’s structural soundness.