NTSB Wants Risk Assessments for Dozens of US Bridges

Following the devastating Baltimore bridge collapse, the NTSB has identified 68 bridges across 19 states in need of risk assessments, including iconic structures like the Golden Gate and Brooklyn bridges.

Key Takeaways

The Baltimore Key Bridge collapse was found to be 30 times above the acceptable risk threshold due to a missed safety assessment.
NTSB is urging risk assessments of 68 bridges across 19 states, including iconic structures like the Golden Gate and Brooklyn bridges.
Bridges built before 1994 are of particular concern due to outdated design standards and lack of current vulnerability assessments.
The NTSB clarifies these recommendations don’t imply imminent collapse but indicate unknown risk levels that must be evaluated.
Safety guidelines were established after the 1980 Sunshine Skyway Bridge collapse in Florida, yet many bridges still lack proper assessments.

Baltimore Bridge Failure Exposes Nationwide Infrastructure Risks

The National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation into the March collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge has revealed alarming safety oversights that could impact dozens of bridges nationwide. The Key Bridge, which collapsed after being struck by a container ship and killed six construction workers, was operating at a risk level nearly 30 times above the acceptable threshold. NTSB officials have criticized the Maryland Transportation Authority for failing to complete a required structural vulnerability assessment that could have prevented the tragedy.

In the aftermath of this catastrophic failure, the NTSB has identified 68 bridges across 19 states that require risk evaluations. These structures, all built before 1991, lack current vulnerability assessments specifically related to vessel collision risks. The list includes some of America’s most recognizable landmarks, including the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City, raising concerns about the safety of critical infrastructure that millions of Americans use daily.

Baltimore bridge was 30 times above acceptable risk of collapse, officials say pic.twitter.com/zfNX7uzGfP

— Network Axis Group (@NetAxisGroup) March 21, 2025

Critical Infrastructure Could Face Risks

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy has been unequivocal about the need for immediate action, stating there is “no excuse” for failing to conduct proper risk assessments. According to Homendy, had proper assessments been completed on the Key Bridge, authorities “would have been able to proactively identify strategies to reduce the risk of collapse and loss of lives associated with a vessel collision.” This failure highlights a troubling gap in infrastructure safety protocols that could have far-reaching consequences.

The NTSB has issued recommendations to 30 different bridge owners, emphasizing that bridges are categorized as either “critical/essential” or “typical.” Critical bridges, like the Key Bridge, serve as vital transportation links whose failure would cause significant disruption. Many of these structures were built according to outdated safety standards that do not account for modern shipping vessels’ increased size and traffic patterns, creating potentially dangerous conditions that remain unaddressed.

Bridges listed by the NTSB include:

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

Response from Bridge Authorities

Bridge authorities have begun responding to the NTSB’s urgent recommendations. The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District issued a statement asserting that their iconic structure is “in full compliance with all state and federal regulations” while acknowledging they have brought in a consultant to “conduct an assessment of the South Tower fender system’s structural capacity for ship collisions.” This balanced approach reflects the seriousness with which some authorities are taking the NTSB’s warnings.

It’s important to note that the NTSB has clarified their recommendations don’t necessarily imply these bridges are in imminent danger of collapse. Rather, they indicate that the current risk levels are unknown and need to be evaluated against standards established by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. These guidelines were originally created following another tragic bridge collapse—the 1980 Sunshine Skyway Bridge disaster in Florida, which occurred when a freighter struck the bridge during stormy weather.

Moving Forward: Addressing America’s Aging Infrastructure

The NTSB’s final report on the Baltimore bridge collapse is expected this fall, but the agency isn’t waiting to sound the alarm about potentially dangerous infrastructure conditions. With many of America’s most heavily trafficked bridges now decades old and built to outdated safety standards, this assessment initiative represents a critical step in preventing future disasters. The key question remains whether state and federal agencies will allocate the necessary resources to address these infrastructure vulnerabilities before another tragedy occurs.

These urgent assessments highlight the broader challenge of maintaining America’s aging infrastructure. The ship’s owner and manager in the Baltimore incident have already agreed to pay over $100 million in cleanup costs, but the human and economic toll of such disasters far exceeds monetary calculations.