Rock wall No obvious fender system Island Barrier Fender No obvious fender system Rock wall Island Barrier FenderHow Fenders Might Have Protected Against Bridge CollapseThe Francis Scott Key Bridge did not have an obvious fender system, or protective barriers, to redirect or prevent a ship from crashing into the bridge piers. Francis Scott Key Bridge Patapsco River Pier No obvious fender system Francis Scott Key Bridge Patapsco River Pier No obvious fender system The New York Times; aerial image via NearmapEngineers point out that some other bridges have more robust barriers. The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge in New York City has rock walls surrounding its piers. Verrazano-Narrows Bridge New York Harbor Pier Rock wall STATEN ISLAND Verrazano-Narrows Bridge Pier New York Harbor STATEN ISLAND Rock wall The New York Times; aerial image via Vexcel ImagingIsland barriers were installed around the Sunshine Skyway Bridge piers in Tampa Bay, Fla., after a ship crash caused the span’s collapse in 1980. Sunshine Skyway Bridge Tampa Bay Pier Island barrier Sunshine Skyway Bridge Tampa Bay Pier Island barrier The New York Times; aerial image via Vexcel ImagingEven smaller bridges like this one near Cape May, N.J., have fenders.

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Persons: Francis Scott Key Organizations: New York Times, Nearmap Engineers, Sunshine, Sunshine Skyway, Creative Composites, Times Locations: New York City, York, Pier, STATEN, Tampa Bay, Fla, Tampa, Cape May, N.J, county