All seven bridges supported by vulnerable concrete island towers, called piers. Baltimore s Francis Scott Key was destroyed by a mega-ship collision with a pier
Construction workers have begun to dismantle the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore as they aim to reopen the port swiftly. The bridge collapsed after a ship hit a support column head on.
The collapse of the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore after it was hit by a cargo ship has again put a focus on the condition of the nation’s bridges, some of which are aging. The Federal Highway Administration maintains a database of the nation’s bridges, with details on the characteristics and conditions of the bridges, based on inspections conducted by the agencies that maintain the spans.