Following the collapse of the Key Bridge in Baltimore, experts offered their insights about the safety of the bridges over the Delaware River in the Philadelphia area, write Kelly Rule, Jeff Cole, Jennifer Lee, Steve Keeley, and Shawnette Wilson for FOX 29 Philadelphia.

The Delaware River Port Authority is in charge of the Ben Franklin, Walt Whitman, Commodore Barry, and Betsy Ross bridges.

CEO John Hanson said that the authority is always worried about potential threats to the local bridges.

“The safety of our bridges and the PATCO train line are always at the forefront of our thinking,” he added.

The Betsy Ross and Commodore Barry bridges are similar to the Key Bridge, said Hanson. They have concrete piers that sit on a foundation in the river. After a threat assessment was performed in 2008, DPRA added safety measures to the Commodore Barry.

“Large stone islands around those concrete piers so a ship would run aground before it could ever get to the piers,” said Hanson.

Meanwhile, Betsy Ross has so-called “dolphins” in the water, which shield the supports, and Ben Franklin and Walt Whitman are protected by shallow water.

Read more about the safety of the Philadelphia area bridges at FOX 29 Philadelphia.