Francis Scott Key Bridge Event
On March 26, 2024, the Singapore-flagged marine vessel MV Dali was transiting out of Baltimore Harbor in Baltimore, Maryland, when it experienced a loss of electrical power and propulsion and struck the southern pier that supported the central span of the Francis Scott Key (Key) Bridge. As a result of the allision, a portion of the bridge subsequently collapsed into the river. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) classified this allision as a major marine casualty. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), according to its Memorandum of Understanding with the USCG, is the lead federal agency for the safety investigation.
NTSB Investigation and Recommendations
As part of its ongoing investigation into the collapse of the Key Bridge, on March 20, 2025, the NTSB issued a recommendation to conduct vulnerability assessments to determine the risk level for catastrophic collapse resulting from a vessel collision for 68 bridges across the country. The NTSB identified these 68 bridges frequented by ocean-going vessels that were constructed before the issuance of the 1991 applicable risk guidance from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). In its March 18, 2025, interim report, the NTSB urged the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), USCG, and USACE to form a dedicated, interdisciplinary team that provides guidance and assistance to bridge owners on evaluating and reducing the risk of a bridge collapse from a vessel collision. The NTSB also recommended that if, after a vulnerability assessment has been completed, a bridge is found to be below the applicable AASHTO risk threshold, the bridge owner develop and implement a comprehensive risk reduction plan to minimize the likelihood of a bridge collapse. According to the NTSB, the 68 bridges identified, which included the MDTA-owned Bay Bridge, did not have a completed vulnerability assessment at the time of their recommendation.
Bay Bridge Information
The MDTA is committed to ensuring the safety of the traveling public and the structural safety of its transportation infrastructure. The MDTA’s Bay Bridge was identified in the NTSB report as one of the 68 bridges that should have a risk assessment performed based upon AASHTO Guide Specifications requirements for new bridges. The Bay Bridge’s eastbound and westbound spans were constructed prior to implementation of guidelines or codes for vessel collision protection. The spans of the Bay Bridge are in conformance with the permits issued by the USCG at the time of construction.
Process from AASHTO
The FHWA requires that new bridges on the National Highway System be designed to minimize the risk of a catastrophic bridge collapse from a vessel collision given the size, speed, and other characteristics of the vessels navigating the channel under the bridge; the requirements were
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