Vice admiral testifies before House committee with NHWA administrator and NTSB chair in attendance.
Coast Guard Deputy Commandant for Operations Vice Admiral Peter Gautier testified at a House hearing that the service has begun evaluating other bridges in the wake of the Baltimore bridge collapse in March, which killed six people and cut off both vehicle and boat access to the busy Port of Baltimore.
The vice admiral told legislators that the “size and complexity of ships has grown over the years, placing greater demands on our marine transportation infrastructure that may not have kept pace with the increased risks that these vessels pose.”
“How do we get these bridges protected?” Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt said at the hearing. “How do we update design standards given the ever changing nature of the vessels that are underneath?”
Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), also attended the hearing, where she commended the Coast Guard for taking proactive steps to curb a similar disaster in the future. She urged state governments and bridge owners to also review their local bridges to see what other safety measures can be taken.
Chair Homendy said, “Do a risk assessment – you can do that now.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Vice Admiral Gautier to be discerning as he manages Coast Guard operations.
- For wisdom for the NTSB chair and NHWA administrator as they oversee their respective agencies.
Sources: Reuters, FOX News
