Five Philadelphia-area bridges have been recommended for a collapse risk evaluation, according to a new National Transportation Safety Board report:
- Benjamin Franklin Bridge, built in 1926
- Delaware River Turnpike Bridge, built in 1956
- Walt Whitman Bridge, built in 1957
- Commodore Barry Bridge, built in 1974
- Betsy Ross Bridge, built in 1976
Three of the five bridges were listed as “critical/essential” in the report. Owners will evaluate whether their bridge meets the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ acceptable level of risk.
“What we are telling bridge owners is that they need to know the risks and determine what actions they need to take to ensure safety,” NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy told CBS News. “I believe that they are very safe. We are very confident in the actions that we have taken to minimize hazards and risks.”
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission sent the following statement to CBS:
We just received this NTSB report and will be thoroughly reviewing it over the coming days. Safety is the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s top priority, and we are committed to advancing safety in all aspects of our operations.
CBS News published the full list of 68 bridges across 19 states slated for a “vulnerability assessment” to determine their risk of collapse if they were to be involved in a vessel collision.
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Photo: Delaware River Port Authority