CLEVELAND, OH — Like many people, Elias Ali watched in horror as the images of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse flashed on his television Tuesday morning.
"It is a very devastating kind of collapse for the bridge," said Ali, an assistant professor of Civil Engineering at Case Western Reserve University.
From an engineering standpoint, he called what happened in Baltimore, a direct hit by a container ship on one of the bridge's primary support piers, a worst-case scenario.
"Most bridge piers, they are designed to support a collision load from a car, a minor accident, kind of that," said Ali. "But not this huge collision from a ship."
It triggered what Ali called a "progressive collapse" as the long-span bridge across the harbor could not redistribute its weights to other supports, sending it crashing into the water below.
While scary, Ali said it's not likely to happen along the Cuyahoga River.
"I don't expect we're going to have a similar accident around here," said Ali.
That's because he said the ships on the Cuyahoga are smaller than the larger ocean-sailing container ships.
And the river's tight turns?
Those help keep ship speeds low.
In a statement this evening, the CEO of the Port of Cleveland also pointed out that the fixed bridges over the Cuyahoga do not have supporting infrastructure in the water, "making it unlikely they could compromised by a vessel," according to William Freidman.
And even in some cases where bridge supports are near water, large concrete barriers are in place.
Ali said the pier guards protect against erosion, corrosion, and potential impact.
"So basically, these pier guards are like bumpers for our cars," said Ali. "So it helps, you know?"
Ali said he expects the collision in Baltimore to spotlight the need for pier guards.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the City of Cleveland said that of the five bridges it operates, only the Center Street bridge has its foundation in the channel but is protected.
"All of the other bridges are clear of the channel and behind dock walls and fenders for their protection," the city said in a statement. "All of these bridges are inspected every 1-2 years, and ODOT monitors these cycles, along with our compliance. They are also manned 24/7 and constantly monitored by the international maritime distress channel. Our operators are in direct contact with the Coast Guard as well as the ships going up and down the River. This allows us to quickly respond to both the needs of vessels as well as any incidents, should they occur."
News 5 Investigators also dug into the latest U.S. Department of Transportation bridge data.
Statewide, records show that about 95% of all bridges are rated as "good" or "fair condition."
Here in Cuyahoga County, that percentage drops to about 91%.
Engineers point out that a bridge in poor condition does not mean it's unsafe.
Instead, they say, that bridge requires more attention and maintenance.
All bridges in Ohio face inspection at least once every two years.
News 5 also spoke with ODOT press secretary Matt Bruning about the other bridges across Northeast Ohio and in Cuyahoga County. Watch more below:
RELATED: Baltimore collapse highlights safety in Northeast Ohio bridges
