One Year After Key Bridge Collapse, Hoyer Joins Olszewski, Colleagues on Letter Urging States to Prioritize Bridge Safety Assessments

WASHINGTON, DC - One year after Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) joined a bicameral Congressional letter led by Congressman Johnny Olszewski (MD-02) urging states to conduct critical bridge safety tests to prevent further tragedy in communities across the country. The letter is co-signed by Maryland Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks (both D-MD) and Representatives Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), April McClain Delaney (MD-06) as well as Representatives Andre Carson (IN-07), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Chris Pappas (NH-01), Mike Quigley (IL-05), and Eugene Vindman (VA-07).
 
In the letter, Olszewski – who grew up in the shadows of the Key Bridge – and his colleagues said its collapse after a vessel strike on March 26, 2024, could have been averted. A National Transportation Safety Board investigation, also released last month, revealed the bridge was 30 times the acceptable vulnerability threshold according to now-required guidelines by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). The NTSB said the bridge was among 67 across the country that have not completed an AASHTO-based vulnerability study because they were built prior to its adoption.
 
Also on the list is Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay Bridge, which the State of Maryland has recently committed to evaluating based on AASHTO safety guidelines.
 
“Just one year ago, the Baltimore region experienced a devastating tragedy that claimed the lives of six individuals and disrupted countless livelihoods when the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed after a vessel strike,” the lawmakers wrote. “The cost to rebuild the bridge is expected to near $2 billion and take at least three years for construction. We have since learned there are dozens of bridges across the country under state jurisdiction that lack recommended safety assessments.”
 
“To avoid another tragedy of this magnitude, we must take urgent action to address vulnerabilities that could lead to another catastrophic bridge failure or collapse. The Key Bridge disaster was not an isolated incident – it was a warning,” they continued.
 
“As leaders, we have a responsibility to prevent history from repeating itself. We urgently and respectfully request the expeditious adoption of the recommendations outlined by NTSB in its preliminary report. Specifically, we call on the 18 other states and Army Corps of Engineers with jurisdiction over the 66 bridges across the country that currently lack a vulnerability study to undergo such an evaluation as quickly as possible,” they urged.
 
“As Members of Congress, we stand ready to work hand in hand with you, aiming to provide the resources needed in each state and localities to bring our bridges up to safety standards,” they continued. “This is a moment to lead with compassion and foresight. The families who lost loved ones in Baltimore deserve to know that their heartache is not in vain – that we learned, acted, and are doing everything within our power to prevent another disaster,” the lawmakers concluded.

The letter is available here.