The structural integrity of the Golden Gate Bridge, along with five other Bay Area bridges, is under scrutiny following a report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) which raised concerns about the potential risk of collapse in the event of a vessel strike. This comes after last year's catastrophe, where the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore met its demise due to a maritime accident. "The NTSB is recommending that these 30 bridge owners evaluate whether the bridges are above the AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials) acceptable levels of risk," noted the agency, according to KRON4. As per the NTSB findings, the current risk levels for these prominent structures, like the Richmond-San Rafael and Carquinez Bridges, are largely unknown.

Each bridge mentioned, including the iconic Golden Gate, was constructed before the 1990s when highway safety officials began to fundamentally necessitate regular risk assessments focused on the threat of a catastrophic collapse due to vessel collision. Six crew members were tragically lost, and others sustained injuries when the vessel "Dali" struck the Key Bridge in Baltimore, underscoring the sobering implications of failing to identify and mitigate such hazards preemptively. According to a The Mercury News report, "Over 1,000 ocean-going ships weighing more than 100,000 tons pass through the San Francisco Bay each year," said John Goodwin, spokesperson for the Bay Area Toll Authority, assigning a tangible reality to the "small — but not zero" risk factor these bridges face daily.

In a proactive move, the Golden Gate Bridge District has reportedly contracted a consultant to scrutinize how the South Tower fender system would react during a ship collision. This study's results are expected to be submitted to the Federal Highway Administration later this year. Meanwhile, the NTSB's checklist of 68 bridges nationwide needing risk assessment could profoundly alter bridge management and maritime navigation protocols to prevent future disasters.

The Bay Area Toll Authority, not sitting idly by, is scheduled to begin soon a $100 million retrofit of the rubber fenders that safeguard the Bay Bridge. This decision was informed by past incidents where the bridge sustained damage from vessel strikes yet was spared from catastrophe, emphasizing the effectiveness of protective infrastructure. An assessment of the vessel traffic around San Francisco Bay is also underway to carefully examine the increasing size of ships and the corresponding rise in their movements. John Goodwin revealed to The Mercury News that "The results of the study could be used in future individual risk assessments for each of the bridges."