The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined engineering errors are the probable causes of a fatal pedestrian bridge collapse that occurred last year in Miami. Those errors caused the partially constructed 174-foot-long, 950-ton Florida International University pedestrian bridge to crack and subsequently collapse, killing six people and injuring 10 others when it fell onto the street below, crushing eight vehicles.
Faulty calculation errors made by FIGG Bridge Engineers, Inc. – compounded by what was called an “inadequate peer review” conducted by engineering firm Louis Berger – were the main “probable causes” of the elevated walkway’s failure, the agency said; representing two of 30 findings NTSB issued in its analysis of the incident which occurring on March 15, 2018.
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"Errors in bridge design, inadequate peer review and poor engineering judgment led to the collapse of this bridge,” NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt explained in a three-hour public hearing on October 22. “The failure of all concerned parties, to recognize and take action on the threat to public safety presented by the significant observed bridge structure distress prior to the collapse, led to the tragic loss of life in this preventable accident,” he said
Based on its investigation of the bridge collapse, the agency issued 11 safety recommendations in total, with one issued to the Federal Highway Administration, five issued to the Florida Department of Transportation, three issued to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, and two issued to FIGG Bridge Engineers, Inc.
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NTSB added that its final report on this incident will be released “in the coming weeks.”
