Just a few days shy of the 1-year anniversary of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore, Maryland, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) gave an update Thursday on the investigation.
Jennifer Homendy, NTSB Chair, said the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) failed to conduct a vulnerability assessment of the bridge. Had it been conducted, Homendy said they would've been aware the risk of collapse was nearly "30 times" above the standard.
FROM THE ARCHIVES | Scripps News Reports: Baltimore's Bridge
"The MDTA would have had information to proactively identify strategies to reduce the risk of a collapse and loss of lives associated with a vessel collision with the bridge," NTSB reports.
Homendy says they asked the MDTA for the data for the risk assessment, but the MDTA didn't have it.
WATCH | BRIDGES ON THE LIST FOR RISK ASSESSMENT
The NTSB is now recommending to 30 bridge owners of 68 bridges in 19 states to conduct a risk assessment and take action.
Other Maryland bridges on this list include:
- Chesapeake Bay Bridge (eastbound) Maryland Transportation Authority Critical/Essential 1951
- Chesapeake Bay Bridge Bridge (westbound) Maryland Transportation Authority Critical/Essential 1973
- Maryland Chesapeake City Bridge US Army Corps of Engineers Typical 1948
The full report on what happened the day of the crash isn't expected until the fall.
WATCH | NTSB CHAIR JENNIFER HOMENDY SPEAKS ON THE KEY BRIDGE
This story was originally published by Rushaad Hayward with the Scripps News Group.
