ANNAPOLIS, Md. — A recent image circulating on social media has sparked concern over current conditions of Maryland's Chesapeake Bay Bridge.
The photograph in question shows apparent cracks forming in one of the bridge's pillars and support beams.
This, of course, creates flashbacks for many who witnessed the collapse of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge after a container ship collided with it.
On Monday, the Maryland Transportation Authority tried calming those fears.
The agency said it was aware of images which depict a section of the westbound side of the bridge.
"We want to reassure the public that both spans of the bridge are safe," MDTA said in a statement.
Officials say a bridge inspection was conducted as recently as yesterday.
"MDTA conducted an inspection of the pier yesterday and confirmed that there is no indication of movement or distress at the location," MDTA said.
Here is how MDTA summed things up when describing what some could perceive as deteriorating conditions in the photos.
"While the image of the pier cap appears off-centered, the bridge girders - the key structural components supporting the span - are aligned and centered with the pier cap. Importantly, the positioning has not changed since the bridge's construction."
Ever since the fall of the Key Bridge, studies have evaluated existing infrastructure risks.
For example in March, Johns Hopkins University researchers found nearly all at-risk bridges were built before 1994.
The Bay Bridge is now 73-years-old, with studies estimating one collision there once every 86 years.
One way to help prevent a catastrophe like that of the Key Bridge, is to install shielding.
While MDTA calls their inspections "rigorous," earlier this year the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said the State failed to conduct a vulnerability assessment recommended by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
That particular assessment would have informed bridge inspectors what the risk of a collapse from a ship collision is.
Back in 2019 we reported on the long term closure of the bridge's westbound side right lane that former Governor Larry Hogan at the time said was 50 percent deteriorated. A project to complete improvements was eventually completed ahead of schedule.
As it stand now, the state is in the preliminary process of obtaining public feedback for plans to build a new Chesapeake Bay crossing, for which the feds already approved in April of 2022.
Some ideas currently floating around include building a new Bay Bridge span right next to the existing one - or potential alternatives, such as replacing the current bridge spans with two new ones.
