Buffer zones deflect only so much worry

It would be hard to take that trip across one of the two bridges spanning Halifax Harbour without thinking of the horrifying images from another bridge in Baltimore.

In the chilling video that flashed around the world, we witnessed the moment when the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland collapsed like a house of cards after it was struck by a cargo ship.

In a matter of seconds, the 2.6-kilometre span just broke and fell into the Patapsco River.

The remains of two people were recovered from a pickup truck submerged in the water. Four are still missing and presumed dead.

Two people were rescued from the water.

The workers, from Mexico and countries in Central America, were part of a construction crew doing repairs on the bridge.

The cargo ship Dali was carrying 56 containers with 746 tonnes of hazardous materials such as corrosives, flammables and lithium-ion batteries.

Authorities are investigating a slick on the waters of the river.

Land and marine transportation arteries have been knocked out in Baltimore, disrupting the supply of cars and other goods coming from Asia.

Container ports in Halifax may be taking some of the diverted traffic.

Had the collision occurred in the middle of the day when the fourlane bridge was busy with traffic, the death toll would have been much higher.

Investigators are trying to determine the cause. It appears that the container ship lost power and its ability to steer just as it approached the base of one of the bridge’s towers.

Initial reports have said that it was not tethered to tug boats and the buffers protecting the bridge pillars had failed.

In the weeks and months to come, investigators and experts will determine the causes, which were likely a combination of things that came together all at once to make a perfect storm.

When I first heard about this accident and saw the video of the bridge collapsing, I couldn’t help but wonder if something like that could happen here.

Like Baltimore, Halifax is a port city connected by bridges.

Every week monster container ships stacked up with cargo glide up and down the harbour and pass under the spans of two suspension bridges.

The ships that pass under the bridges are on their way to the PSA Halifax Fairview Cove container terminal.

Knowing that people would be asking questions about the likelihood of something similar happening here, authorities from Halifax Harbour Bridges and the Port of Halifax were quick to respond.

They pointed out that this type of collision was anticipated more than 40 years ago.

In the late 1970s, a report recommended the construction of rock islands in the water around the towers that hold up the bridges.

The idea was to create a buffer zone to absorb the impact of a collision with a vessel.

These structures were completed in 1983 and are visible to marine traffic and anyone who sees the bridge from the shore.

The bridge and port authorities also pointed out that all marine traffic in the harbour is monitored by cameras and people who are on the lookout.

Tugboats help the vessels navigate the harbour, and advanced calculations measure the gap between the top of the container cargo and the bridge structures.

Halifax Harbour Bridges has also undertaken maintenance projects like the Big Lift on the Macdonald bridge a few years ago to upgrade and strengthen the spans.

These projects have required closures and caused disruptions, forcing commuters to take the long way around.

But when you see a bridge collapse like the one in Baltimore, it’s evident that structures and complex systems can fail.

It’s a relief to know that we are doing everything possible to reduce the chances of a similar disaster.