Debate emerges over whether modern protections could have saved Baltimore bridge

By BEN FINLEY
Associated Press

A debate has emerged over whether modern safety protections could have saved a Baltimore bridge after it was struck by a cargo ship. The 47-year-old Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed Tuesday morning from the vessel strike. U.S. Transportation Secretary Peter Buttigieg said Wednesday that the engineering community is discussing whether any design feature would have made a difference. Sherif El-Tawil is a University of Michigan engineering professor. He says several safety measures “would have made a huge difference.” He says they include islands of rocks or concrete that would surround the bridge’s supports and protect them from passing ships.