'Risk Of Collapse' Evaluation Ordered For 3 Hudson Valley Spans

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — 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 a number of other bridges in the country 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 three in the Hudson Valley — 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 the Hudson Valley, the Rip Van Winkle Bridge and both spans of the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge are recommended to undergo a risk assessment.

In New York City, the following bridges are recommended to undergo a risk assessment: the Verrazzano Narrows Bridge (both eastbound and westbound), the Brooklyn Bridge, the Manhattan Bridge, the Williamsburg Bridge, the George Washington Bridge, and the Outerbridge Crossing Bridge.

The NTSB is recommending the bridge owners 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 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 said. "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."

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