Viral photo of Chesapeake Bay Bridge sparked driver concern, but state says no reason to worry

A photo circulating on social media that appears to show a Chesapeake Bay Bridge pier off-center has some drivers concerned. However, the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) said an inspection found no reason to worry.   

Kimberly Hutson said her husband took the viral picture while he was fishing last weekend because he noticed that one pier looked different from all the others. She said that if you think something feels off, it's important to speak out, so she circled the part that stood out to her husband and posted the photo to social media

"He was very concerned," Hutson said. "He thought that it had shifted like that."  

The social media photo had thousands of views, including from David Edwards, who frequently fishes near the Bay Bridge.

"If it is true, it's concerning because it looks like it's shifted quite a bit, from the photo," Edwards said. "I'm not a structural engineer or anything, but you would think that far off center is something at least to be concerned about."

MDTA says there is no indication of bridge distress

The MDTA said it found no indication of movement or distress at the location during an inspection of the pier. 

"While the image of the pier cap appears off-center, the bridge girders — the key structural components supporting the span — are aligned and centered with the pier cap. Importantly, the positioning has not changed since the bridge's construction," the authority said in a statement. 

Sounding the alarm

Hutson said she wasn't trying to scare people, but especially after recent reports found that the Bay Bridge doesn't meet today's ship-collision safety standards, she wanted to raise awareness.

"I didn't do it for people not to cross. In fact, I crossed it the very next day to go to a one-year-old's birthday party," Hutson said. "I posted it for people to be aware and for people to understand that something's not right."

MDTA says Bay Bridge is safe

The MDTA said the Bay Bridge remains safe to drive, and engineers are still looking at ways to better protect it from vessel strikes after that National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report came out in the spring.

In May, the NTSB report said that the Bay Bridge does not meet a modern risk threshold for vessel collisions. However, the MDTA said that the bridge itself is safe and well-maintained.

The MDTA said the bridge has passed annual safety inspections for more than 30 years and that Maryland has spent more than $175 million on Bay Bridge safety and security in the last decade.

What safety improvements is MDTA considering?

The MDTA is examining strategies to reduce vessel collision risks at the Bay Bridge.

Short-term strategies could include improved communication protocols for vessel pilots, reduced vessel speeds, one-way transits, and new methods to manage vehicle traffic on the bridge.

For long-term protection, the MDTA is considering installing dolphins – structures in the water designed to stop vessels from hitting the bridge – and pier fenders that would absorb impact.