HIGHLAND- The New York State Bridge Authority that operates the five spans across the Hudson River from the Bear Mountain to the south to the Rip Van Winkle to the north, continually places “safety and security as its top priority,” according to Authority Public Information Officer Chris Steber.
Steber said the “entire Bridge Authority family’s hearts go out to the people of Maryland, especially to our colleagues in the transportation field, the first responders, and everyone directly impacted by the tragic event.”
Last week a large cargo container ship slammed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore causing it to collapse resulting in the deaths of six road workers filling potholes.
Steber said that “bridges monitored by the authority receive federally mandated engineering inspections every two years, plus additional inspections in the off years.”
He said in addition to their overall security efforts, the bridge agency has “engaged in various pier security initiatives at our bridges and maintains a close relationship with our partners at the U.S. Coast Guard, including providing direct video feed to the U.S. Coast Guard’s Sector NY Command Center.”
The bridge authority is also a member of the Coast Guard Area Maritime Security Committee for the Port of Albany and the Port of New York and New Jersey.
When specifically questioned about the Bear Mountain Bridge, Steber said, “While some very large ships similar in size to the vessel that collided with the bridge in Baltimore traverse the Hudson, the Bear Mountain Bridge’s piers are built on land as opposed to the water making such a calamity highly unlikely.”
Despite that, Steber said they “continue to remain vigilant and build upon these efforts for the safety of all who use our bridges to cross the Hudson River.”
