Maryland's lack of inspections leaves other bridges with an 'unknown level of risk' of collapse, the federal agency said.
The Maryland Transportation Authority did not conduct a risk assessment that, if acted upon, could have allowed the state to protect the Francis Scott Key Bridge from collapsingSuch a vulnerability assessment would have found the bridge was highly vulnerable to a vessel collision, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said.Homendy said the federal board had to conduct its own vulnerability assessment of the Key Bridge while investigating its collapse nearly a year ago.
Had the MDTA conducted a vulnerability assessment based on recent vessel traffic, the agency would have been aware that the risk of a “catastrophic collapse from a vessel collision” was nearly 30 times higher than standards set by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
“That was a surprise to all of us,” she said of the results of her agency’s assessment of the Key Bridge. “But it’s something that MDTA could have known and should have known.”
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