PORTLAND, Maine — In light of a massive crash that led to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Mainers are looking back on a close call that occurred in Portland Harbor, and what safeguards have been put in place since.
"In those days, we would go out there as kids and watch the ships come through," Harbormaster Board Chair Dan Haley said, recalling the former 'Million Dollar Bridge' that once stood in the harbor. "That old bridge was narrow enough that a tanker would come through, it would scrape the pilings and you would see the pilings smoke."
But after a tanker hit the bridge in 1996, causing substantial damage, Haley says there have been more precautions put in place to keep both boaters below, and drivers above, safe.
"Pilots, which bring the ships into the harbor and then docking masters that dock the ships, are very well trained," Haley explained. Most ships that head under the Casco Bay Bridge are required to have a federal or local pilot aboard, at times 12 miles before they reach the bridge.
Haley says most ships, however, default to using a tug and barge to maneuver through. All the while, federal and state agencies are in constant contact to tackle any sort of emergency.
Up top, crews through the Maine Department of Transportation keep watch 24 hours a day for approaching ships.
MaineDOT Chief Engineer Joyce Taylor explains that most bridges we know today in Maine are built with dozens of safeguards to protect it if a crash were to occur.
"And we have had incidents where Casco Bay has been hit, and it caused some damage to the dolphins, or the fenders, which are helping to prevent [damage]. They're like, you know, the bumpers to say 'stay away from the bridge.'"
Although those bumpers are in place in case of an accident, both explain that major strikes often don't occur.
"Baltimore is a very sad story, but I think we're in pretty good shape here," Haley said. "But this will certainly bring more attention to our pilots."