NTSB identifies several Bay Area bridges in need of evaluation for vulnerabilities

ByJ.R. Stone

Friday, March 21, 2025 6:26AM

NTSB says these Bay Area bridges need a risk assessment

The NTSB has called for risk assessments to be done for several Bay Area bridges to determine if they can withstand being struck by a ship.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Federal safety officials say Bay Area bridges should get new safety assessments to find out if they can stand up to getting hit by a ship.

The recommendation from the NTSB comes nearly a year after the deadly collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.

The NTSB said the State of Maryland never ran a risk calculation on the Francis Scott Key Bridge - if it had, it would have been aware of the potential dangers.

The Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most iconic bridges in the world, but one of 68 bridges across the US that the NTSB has recommendations for.

The safety board is recommending vulnerability assessments in light of this bridge collapse that happened nearly a year ago in Baltimore, when it was struck by a container ship.

"Have an unknown level of risk of collapse from a vessel collision which is why we are recommending those 30 bridge owners take action now," said NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy.

The Golden Gate Bridge District released a statement saying, "The Golden Gate Bridge has one of the most robust ship collision protection systems of any bridge on the West Coast," going on to say, "The concrete fender is filled with sand, similar to a highway crash barrel, and is 27 feet thick at its base and 10 feet thick at sea level, providing significant protection against collisions."

The district does say they hired a consultant earlier this year to conduct an assessment of the South Tower fender system's structural capacity for ship collisions.

As to other Bay Area bridges, all but the Bay Bridge and Dumbarton Bridge made that NTSB list.

"While the chance of that kind of a disaster happening in the Bay Area is not zero, it is extremely small."

That's MTC and Bay Area Toll Authority Spokesperson John Goodwin who says even though the Bay Bridge isn't on the list, it's fender system will soon be modernized. He also says they are currently evaluating all of the bridges in the area.

"We're doing a risk assessment of all the Bay Area bridges right now. Here in the Bay, thanks to state law every ship that comes in every ship that goes out is under the control of a trained bar pilot.

The NTSB also recommends that after an assessment is done by the bridge owners, they then implement a comprehensive risk reduction plan depending on what is found.

The NTSB identified the following bridges need risk assessment.