'Risk Of Collapse' Evaluation Ordered For 2 NJ Bridges

NEW JERSEY — As the National Transportation Safety Board continues its investigation into the deadly collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland, the safety administration has identified numerous bridges that are also at risk of collapse should a vessel collide with them.

As a result of the investigation, the NTSB is recommending that 68 bridges — including two in the Garden State — undergo a vulnerability assessment to determine the risk of collapse.

The NTSB this week released a report on the March 2024 Maryland incident that documented dozens of other bridges across the nation they say have "unknown levels of risk of collapse" from vessel collisions.

In New Jersey, the Commodore Barry Bridge and the Vincent R. Casciano (Newark Bay) bridges are recommended to undergo a risk assessment.

The NTSB is recommending the bridge owners —which is the Delaware River Port Authority for the Commodore Barry bridge and New Jersey Turnpike Authority for the Newark Bay bridge— calculate the annual frequency of collapse for the structures using the Method II calculation from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

If a bridge exceeds that risk threshold, it is considered high risk, according to the NTSB. The owners must inform the NTSB whether the probability of collapse is above the threshold.

"Today’s report does not suggest that the 68 bridges are certain to collapse. The NTSB is recommending that these 30 bridge owners evaluate whether the bridges are above the AASHTO acceptable level of risk. The NTSB recommended that bridge owners develop and implement a comprehensive risk reduction plan, if the calculations indicate a bridge has a risk level above the AASHTO threshold," the NTSB said.

A date by which the assessments must be complete was not immediately clear.

The AASHTO Guide Specifications classify bridges as either "critical/essential," which designates crossings that "serve as important links" on the Strategic Highway Network, or as "typical."

The Commodore Barry Bridge, built in 1974, is labeled typical while the Newark Bay bridge is listed as critical/essential; it was built in 1955.

Bridges in New York City and Philadelphia are also on the list.

Patch's Max Bennett contributed to this article.