JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – After a container ship lost power and rammed into a major bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday, causing it to snap and plunge into the river below, Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan addressed the collapse and tried to ease concerns residents might have about bridge safety in Duval County.
“We are saddened by the situation in Baltimore and are praying for their community. I have been in contact with JAXPORT CEO Eric Green to discuss the maritime impacts as they continue to evolve,” Deegan said in a news release. “Undoubtedly, people are wondering about the safeguards in place to protect our infrastructure here in Jacksonville. The Dames Point Bridge, the only bridge that cargo ships calling JAXPORT sail under, has hard infrastructure (large concrete structures called “dolphins”) in place to protect the base of the bridge piers from any vessel impacts. Additionally, specialty sensors (called Air Gap sensors) are located on the bridge to provide real-time information on the distance between the water surface and the bottom of the bridge structure over the main channel. The City of Jacksonville and our partner agencies always stand ready to help our sister communities during their time of need. Our City and port community stands with the people of Baltimore.”
RELATED: A list of major US bridge collapses caused by ships and barges
Deegan also shared photos highlighting the “dolphins” on the Interstate 295 bridge near Blount Island.
We are saddened by the situation in Baltimore and are praying for their community. I have been in contact with @JAXPORT CEO Eric Green to discuss the maritime impacts as they continue to evolve.
— Mayor Donna Deegan (@MayorDeegan) March 26, 2024
Undoubtedly, people are wondering about the safeguards in place to protect our… pic.twitter.com/GsePj20n1n
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he has sent the Florida Division of Emergency Management to help Maryland, if needed, following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
“The State of Florida stands willing to help and our prayers are with the victims and first responders,” DeSantis said.
The bridge collapse in Baltimore, which was dramatically caught on camera, sent several vehicles, including one the size of a tractor-trailer, into the water below.
Kevin Cartwright, director of communications for the Baltimore Fire Department, called the collapse a “developing mass casualty event,” though he didn’t know at the time how many people were affected.
The collapse shocked Cathy Ray who lives in Maryland but is visiting Jacksonville. She regularly drives over the bridge.
“At first, I couldn’t believe it. I’m like, is this real? Am I imagining this? It was devastating to see, to know that bridge I was over many times was in the water,” Ray said.
There have never been bridge issues in Northeast Florida of this magnitude but there have been bad incidents like when a Navy Cargo ship in 2013 crashed into the Mathews Bridge. Lindsey Brock is a maritime lawyer who represented Florida in its lawsuit against the Navy and towing company.
“The bridges and defender systems around them are designed to protect the bridges but as with anything like the guard rails on the highway they can get burst through if there’s enough force,” Brock said.
There’s also a lot of speculation on why the ship in Maryland lost control and power. Brock pointed to the Mathews Bridge as an example of a safe bridge that got a lot of upgrades following safety incidents.
“The Mathews is safe, the FDOT won awards,” Brock said.
The closest bridge tragedy in Florida to what happened in Baltimore is from 1980 when a shipper ran into the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and 35 people were killed.
The Florida Department of Transportation on Tuesday issued a statement following the bridge collapse:
"The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) extends its deepest sympathies to all affected by the recent incident. We also extend our thanks to the first responders currently engaged in search and rescue operations. Drawing upon our extensive structural engineering experience and robust bridge inspection processes, FDOT stands ready and prepared to provide any necessary assistance.
The safety and integrity of our bridge infrastructure is a fundamental commitment that we rigorously uphold. Each public bridge within the state undergoes regular inspections conducted by FDOT’s team of skilled bridge inspectors. Following, any traffic-related incident or adverse weather, such as a hurricane, these bridges are promptly subjected to reevaluation.
Regarding safety, infrastructure designs consider the unique characteristics and specificities related to the communities it is built in. In Florida, contemporary bridge designs and construction incorporate robust measures to mitigate the impact of maritime vessels. For example, numerous safety enhancements have been implemented at the Skyway Bridge in the Greater Tampa Bay region to safeguard against collisions. These measures include elevating the bridge, widening the channel, and incorporating two layers of protection for bridge piers. Most notably, features such as ‘Dolphins,’ which serve as physical barriers as well as rock islands that completely surround the main channel supports and go all the way to the sea floor.
Additionally, Florida maintains continuous coordination with various stakeholders, including local law enforcement, the U.S. Coast Guard, and seaport authorities, to ensure comprehensive safety measures are in place.”
