NTSB Calls for Risk Assessments for Nearly 70 Bridges Across the US

Federal safety officials are calling for 68 bridges across America to be assessed after the deadly Baltimore bridge disaster revealed alarming gaps in infrastructure safety protocols.

Key Insights

The Baltimore bridge that collapsed in March had a risk level nearly 30 times above acceptable thresholds due to a missed safety assessment.
NTSB has identified 68 bridges across 19 states requiring risk evaluations, including iconic structures like the Golden Gate and Brooklyn bridges.
Bridges built before 1994 are particularly vulnerable as they were constructed under older, less stringent design standards.
The NTSB clarifies these bridges aren’t necessarily in immediate danger, but their vulnerability to ship strikes remains unknown.

Baltimore Disaster Exposes Critical Infrastructure Vulnerabilities

The National Transportation Safety Board has issued an urgent call for inspections of 68 bridges across America following last year’s catastrophic Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore. The disaster, which claimed the lives of six construction workers, occurred when a container ship struck the bridge. NTSB’s investigation revealed the Maryland Transportation Authority failed to complete a crucial structural vulnerability assessment that could have prevented the tragedy.

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy did not mince words in her assessment of the situation, declaring there was “no excuse” for the lack of proper evaluation. The investigation determined the Baltimore bridge exceeded the acceptable risk threshold by nearly 30 times. The ship’s owner and manager have already agreed to pay over $100 million in cleanup costs, but the human toll cannot be reversed.

The NTSB recommended 68 bridges across 19 states be evaluated with a "vulnerability assessment" to determine their risk of collapse if involved in a vessel collision in the wake of last year's deadly collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. https://t.co/SG46iGMhvm pic.twitter.com/tivtx8AFVZ

— CBS News (@CBSNews) March 21, 2025

America’s Most Iconic Bridges Among Those in Need of Assessments

The NTSB’s list of bridges requiring evaluation spans 19 states and includes some of America’s most recognizable landmarks. The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the Brooklyn Bridge and George Washington Bridge in New York City, and Florida’s Sunshine Skyway Bridge are among the prominent structures flagged. These recommendations were issued to 30 different bridge owners who are now under pressure to assess their infrastructure’s vulnerability to vessel strikes.

Bridge owners have begun responding to the NTSB’s alert. The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District stated its structure is “in full compliance with all state and federal regulations” but has hired a consultant to “conduct an assessment of the South Tower fender system’s structural capacity for ship collisions.” The final report on the Baltimore incident is expected this fall, with additional information about the disaster to be released in the coming months.

Here is the list of affected bridges:

California:

Carquinez Bridge
Richmond-San Rafael Bridge
Antioch Bridge
Coronado Bridge
Benicia-Martinez Bridge
San Mateo-Hayward Bridge
Golden Gate Bridge

Delaware:

Saint Georges Bridge
Summit Bridge
Reedy Point Bridge
Sunshine Skyway Bridge
Napoleon Bonaparte Broward Bridge (Dames Point Bridge)

Georgia:

Talmadge Bridge

Illinois:

Chicago Skyway Calumet River Bridge

Louisiana:

Huey P. Long Bridge
Crescent City Connection Bridge
Israel LaFleur Bridge
Gramercy (Veterans Memorial) Bridge
Hale Boggs (Luling) Bridge
Horace Wilkinson Bridge
Sunshine Bridge
Greater New Orleans Bridge

Maryland:

William Preston Lane Jr. (Bay) Bridge (eastbound)
William Preston Lane Jr. (Bay) Bridge (westbound)
Chesapeake City Bridge

Massachusetts:

Bourne Bridge
Tobin Bridge (southbound upper)
Tobin Bridge (northbound lower)
Sagamore Bridge

Michigan:

Mackinac Bridge

New Hampshire:

Memorial Bridge

New Jersey:

Commodore Barry Bridge
Vincent R. Casciano (Newark Bay) Bridge

New York:

Williamsburg Bridge
George Washington Bridge
Verrazano Narrows Bridge (eastbound)
Verrazano Narrows Bridge (westbound)
Brooklyn Bridge
Manhattan Bridge
Seaway International Bridge
Newburgh-Beacon Bridge (eastbound)
Newburgh-Beacon Bridge (westbound)
Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge
Rip Van Winkle Bridge
Outerbridge Crossing Bridge
Thousand Islands Bridge

Ohio:

CUY-00490-0010 (I-490) Bridge
CUY-00006-1456 (Detroit Avenue) Bridge
LUC-01W02-0002 (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial) Bridge
CUY-00010-1613 (Carnegie Avenue) Bridge
LUC-00002-1862 (Anthony Wayne) Bridge
CUY-00002-1441 (Main Avenue) Bridge

Oregon:

Astoria-Megler Bridge
St. Johns Bridge

Pennsylvania:

Benjamin Franklin Bridge
Walt Whitman Bridge
Delaware River Turnpike Bridge
Betsy Ross Bridge

Rhode Island:

Claiborne Pell Newport Bridge

Texas:

Sidney Sherman Bridge
GulfGate Bridge
Veterans Memorial Bridge
Rainbow Bridge
Hartman Bridge (eastbound)
Hartman Bridge (westbound)
Buffalo Bayou Toll Bridge

Washington:

Lewis and Clark Bridge

Wisconsin:

Leo Frigo Bridge

Older Bridges Present Higher Risk Factors

The NTSB’s warning specifically targets bridges built before 1991, as these structures were designed and constructed under less stringent safety standards. Current guidelines for bridge safety were established following the 1980 collapse of Florida’s original Sunshine Skyway Bridge, which was struck by a freighter during stormy weather. The replacement bridge is now among those requiring evaluation.

Bridges are categorized as either “critical/essential” or “typical,” with the former designation indicating structures that serve as vital transportation links. The Francis Scott Key Bridge was classified as critical/essential, making its collapse particularly devastating to Baltimore’s transportation network and economy. The NTSB recommends that all bridge owners evaluate their structures against American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ standards to determine accurate risk levels and implement appropriate safety measures.