Governor Maura Healey has called on state leaders to discuss the safety of Massachusetts' bridges.
Healey was scheduled to meet with Maryland Governor Wes Moore on Tuesday but flew back to Boston in the wake of the cargo vessel collision with the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
Healey was scheduled to meet with officials from MassDOT, Massport, the US Coast Guard, and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.
A 2022 analysis from the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center found 644 structurally deficient bridges or about one in every 12 in the state. State officials however are quick to point out that "deficient" does not mean "unsafe". There are about 12 thousand bridges in Massachusetts.
While the aging Bourne and Sagamore Bridges are destined to be replaced and have required significant upkeep in recent years, the spans are still considered safe.
(Photo by KENT NISHIMURA/AFP via Getty Images)
Photo: KENT NISHIMURA / AFP / Getty Images