The Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) announced Monday it has completed a long-awaited safety assessment of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, concluding that its piers require added protection to meet modern voluntary safety guidelines.

The review follows national scrutiny after the March 2024 collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, which killed six people. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined that tragedy could have been prevented with stronger pier defenses and called on agencies nationwide to assess similar bridges.

MDTA, which owns both the Key and Bay bridges, spent $600,000 on the Bay Bridge study. The agency concluded it needs to reinforce the piers with updated protections such as new fenders and "dolphins"—concrete-and-rock barriers designed to absorb or deflect ship impacts.

The proposed upgrades are estimated to cost $160 million. While the Bay Bridge currently meets federal requirements for legacy structures, MDTA said the improvements align with voluntary recommendations set by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO).

Shorter-term mitigation strategies may include updated vessel communication protocols, reduced speeds and one-way ship transits, but MDTA said tug escorts are not currently under consideration.

With the twin spans of the Bay Bridge nearing replacement age, MDTA Chief Engineer Will Pines previously noted that new protective infrastructure could be reused in a future bridge.

The NTSB listed the Bay Bridge among 68 at-risk bridges nationwide that could benefit from enhanced pier protection.

Source: Maritimeexecutive.com, Marylandmatters.org