Overview

• The Johns Hopkins study ranks the Huey P. Long Bridge near New Orleans as the most vulnerable, with a major ship strike expected every 17 years.
• The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore last year underscored the dangers posed by insufficient protective measures for aging bridges.
• Researchers analyzed 16 years of U.S. Coast Guard and National Bridge Inventory data to assess bridge vulnerability to ship collisions.
• Ship-bridge collisions capable of causing severe damage occur roughly every three to five years in the United States, according to historical data.
• The Delaware River and Bay Authority is investing $19.1 million to install a modern protection system for the Delaware Memorial Bridge, ranked 15th on the risk list.