ST. LOUIS — The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, has many questioning the safety of bridges in Missouri and Illinois.
After seeing the video of the bridge collapse, Missouri Department of Transportation Assistant Chief Engineer Eric Schroeter said two things immediately came to mind.
"Your thoughts go out to the people that were on it and the lives involved,” Schroeter said. "The second thought is all about the safety of all of the structures that we take care of and maintain."
Since 2019, IDOT has focused on improving more than 530 bridges across the state.
In Missouri alone, the Department of Transportation manages more than 10,000 bridges including those spanning the Mississippi.
"We work close with the Corps of Engineers and Coast Guard to make sure that what we are building meets the national standards,” Schroeter said. “We're doing the best we can to address navigation on the rivers because the best thing we can do is avoid any collision."
In 1998, a towboat rammed into the center span of the Eads Bridge, causing eight barges to break away and hit the Admiral Casino injuring 50 people.
In 2014, both the MLK and Eads Bridge were temporarily closed after being struck by a barge.
"Thankfully, those strikes we can withstand,” Schroeter said. “We're going to close the structure because every strike is unique."
Schroeter said the biggest threat to our bridges doesn't come from barges or boats.
"We have to design them to withstand all of the ice flows that come down the river,” he said. “We've got to keep in mind that part of Missouri falls in an earthquake zone. We design for that."
Considering those facts, and the ever-changing conditions on the river, Schroeter said he often asked one question.
"We often get questions if they're safe. They wouldn't be open if they weren't. That's our first role," he said.
Each bridge in Missouri is inspected every other year for rust and structural failures.
MoDOT also partners with the Coast Guard and Army Corp to identify any issues visible from the water.
“The Illinois Department of Transportation relies on a rigorous inspection schedule and procedures for all of its bridges to ensure they’re safe for the traveling public, including assessing damage caused by traffic, maritime, or other incidents,” IDOT spokesman Paul Wappel said.