THE TIMING IN THE AREA'S CERTIFIED MOST ACCURATE FORECAST NEW AT 6 - THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD... WANTS 68 BRIDGES ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO BE EVALUATED...FOR RISK OF COLLAPSE. THIS INCLUDES THE TALMADGE BRIDGE IN SAVANNAH. THE N-T-S-B WANTS TO KNOW.... WHAT WOULD HAPPEN .. IF THE BRIDGE WERE HIT BY A CARGO SHIP. THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US -- I'M SHANNON ROYSTER. AND I'M BROOKE BUTLER. THIS COMES IN THE WAKE OF LAST YEARS DEADLY COLLAPSE OF THE FRANCIS SCOTT KEY BRIDGE IN BALTIMORE. WJCL 22 NEWS SPOKE TO THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION - ABOUT THE NTSB'S REQUEST FOR A VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT. 1:14 WE NEED ACTION. PUBLIC SAFETY DEPENDS ON IT. 1:18** COULD WHAT HAPPENED TO THE FRANCIS SCOTT KEY BRIDGE IN BALTIMORE IN MARCH OF 2024... HAPPEN TO THE TALMADGE BRIDGE IN SAVANNAH? THATS THE QUESTION THE NTSB WANTS THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO ANSWER. 1:01 FRANKLY, WE'VE BEEN SOUNDING THE ALARM ON THIS SINCE THE TRAGEDY OCCURRED. 1:06 IN TOTAL - THE NTSB IS RECOMMENDING THE OWNERS OF 68 BRIDGES ACROSS THE U.S. - CONDUCT VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENTS... TO DETERMINE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN - IN THE EVENT OF A VESSEL COLLISION. :30 THE 30 OWNERS OF 68 BRIDGES OVER NAVIGABLE WATERWAYS FREQUENTED BY OCEANGOING VESSELS ARE LIKELY UNAWARE OF THEIR BRIDGE'S RISK OF CATASTROPHIC COLLAPSE FROM A VESSEL COLLISION, AND THE POTENTIAL NEED TO IMPLEMENT COUNTERMEASURES TO REDUCE THE BRIDGE'S VULNERABILITY. :51 THE NTSB REVEALED...THE DEADLY CARGO SHIP COLLISION - AT THE FRANCIS SCOTT KEY BRIDGE...COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED... .SAYING THE MARYLAND TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY - FAILED TO CONDUCT A VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT OF THE BRIDGE...DESPITE MULTIPLE RECOMMENDATIONS TO DO SO. 17:32 MD TA WOULD HAVE KNOWN THE RISK AND COULD HAVE TAKEN ACTION TO SAFEGUARD THE BRIDGE. :38 GDOT TOLD WJCL 22 - IT PLANS TO FULLY COMPLY WITH THE NTSB'S REQUEST... BUT ADDED QUOTE - "IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT THIS BRIDGE, WHICH WAS CONSTRUCTED AND OPENED IN 1991, IS UNLIKE THE FRANCIS SCOTT KEY BRIDGE IN THAT THE BRIDGE'S SUPPORT PIERS ARE LOCATED ON THE BANKS OF THE RIVER RATHER THAN IN THE WATER ITSELF." THE NTSB FEELS ITS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE. 11:37 WHAT WE ARE TELLING BRIDGE OWNERS IS THAT THEY NEED TO KNOW THE RISK AND DETERMINE WHAT ACTIONS THEY NEED TO TAKE TO ENSURE SAFETY. 11:46 IF THE VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT DETERMINES THERE IS A CONSIDERABLE THREAT OF THE TALMADGE BRIDGE COLLAPSING...DUE TO A VESSEL COLLISION