29-04-2025
NH delegation asks feds to 'quickly' undertake risk assessment of Memorial Bridge
New Hampshire's congressional delegation is urging federal officials to 'quickly' undertake a risk assessment of the Memorial Bridge in Portsmouth.
The request comes after a report issued in March by the National Transportation Safety Board raised safety questions about dozens of bridges across the country, including the Memorial Bridge.
Bridge Letter
The report identified 68 bridges in 19 states, and recommended that their owners conduct vulnerability assessments to determine the risk of a collapse from a vessel collision. The recommendation is part of the ongoing investigation into the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
The NTSB determined the Key Bridge, which collapsed after being struck by the container ship Dali on March 26, 2024, was almost 30 times above the acceptable risk threshold for critical or essential bridges, according to guidance established by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
The Memorial Bridge is a 1,200-foot-long vertical-lift bridge that carries U.S. Route 1 across the Piscataqua River between Portsmouth and Kittery, Maine.
The bridge is 11 years old. It replaced the original bridge, which opened in 1923, dedicated as a "memorial to the soldiers and sailors of New Hampshire who participated in the World War 1917-1919," according to the bronze plaque affixed to both the old and new bridges.
Memorial Bridge in Portsmouth
The Memorial Bridge in Portsmouth in a 2019 file photo.
The NTSB assessment describes Memorial Bridge as of "typical" rather "critical" concern compared to others on the list.
Last June, a 48,000-pound sailboat with a 49-foot mast hit the Memorial Bridge after its rudder cables broke and the boat was carried away by the current.
In March, the NTSB said its report does not suggest the 68 bridges mentioned are sure to collapse, it is simply recommending these 30 bridge owners evaluate whether the bridges are above the acceptable level of risk.
Unlike the Key Bridge, whose span was more than 130 feet above the water, the Memorial Bridge's roadway is about 20 feet above the river. And when the bridge is open to allow ship traffic to pass, vehicles are stopped by gates at the approaches.
In a letter Monday to Federal Highway Administration Executive Director Gloria Shepherd, New Hampshire's congressional delegation wrote, 'As this work begins, we want to ensure the FHA has the resources it needs to successfully provide guidance and assistance" to state transportation agencies.
"If Memorial Bridge is found to have an annual frequency of collapse greater than (the threshold), how will FHWA support NHDOT in developing and implementing a comprehensive risk reduction plan?
'We remain deeply invested in the safety of our district's bridges and roadways, and we appreciate your attention to this important matter.'
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