03-Appendix C - Research Topics.pdf

Appendix C – Research Topic

BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT

Federal Highway Administration

Office of Acquisition and Grants Management

Research Initiatives in Support of FHWA Bridges and Structures Programs

Note: Proposals may be submitted at any time through the closing date of the research topic.

Bridge and Tunnel Security

Topic Number Title Closing Date for

Proposals

HIBS10-BTS-001

Errant Vessel Warning and Sensing Technologies to Activate

Automatic Bridge Closures 06-16-2026

12 pm ET (noon)

Bridge and Tunnel Security

Topic: HIBS10-BTS-001

Notes: The FHWA is seeking formal proposals that address the objectives of this topic titled

“Errant Vessel Warning and Sensing Technologies to Activate Automatic Bridge Closures”.

Concept papers are not required for this topic. Formal proposals are produced to follow Section 4

– PROJECT PROPOSALS of the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA).

Title: Errant Vessel Warning and Sensing Technologies to Activate Automatic Bridge Closures

On March 26, 2024, the cargo vessel Dali was transiting out of Baltimore Harbor in Baltimore, Maryland, when it experienced losses of electrical power, propulsion, and steering and struck the southern pier that supported the central span of the Francis Scott Key Bridge (Key Bridge). A substantial portion of the bridge subsequently collapsed into the river and onto the vessel. A seven-person road maintenance crew and one inspector were on the bridge when the vessel struck it. Six of the highway workers died as a result of the bridge collapse.

Dali lost power approximately 4 minutes before it collided with the Key Bridge. Almost three minutes later, police officers from the Maryland Transit Authority (MDTA) stationed at the ends of the bridge for traffic calming were alerted of the oncoming impact and were instructed to close the bridge to traffic. While the officers were able to close the bridge to traffic, there wasn’t sufficient time left to inform the maintenance crew to evacuate the bridge.

As a result of these events, the NTSB made recommendation H-25-28 to FHWA: Research hazard alert and sensing technologies capable of detecting errant vessels and bridge movements that would indicate a need for bridge closure and would both warn and prevent motorists from entering a bridge once a threat is detected. Provide the results of your research to the American

Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

FHWA seeks proposals that will assist in performing this research. At minimum, the proposal should address the following:

1. Performing a literature review of existing technologies within the transportation sector, both domestic and international, that can allow for the detection of, or warning from, an errant vessel and warn and prevent motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists from entering a bridge. Proposers are encouraged to also research technologies used in detect other threats (e.g. earthquakes, vehicle collision) to identify technologies that could be repurposed to initiate a bridge closure due to an errant vessel.

2. Surveying state departments of transportation (DOTs) and other domestic and international bridge owners on:

bridge threat sensing and automatic closure technologies in use on their bridges, their policies and procedures related to emergency bridge closures, and the effectiveness of these technologies, policies, and procedures as demonstrated through actual and simulated bridge closures, and synthesizing the collected information. In conducting this survey, proposers must identify the actions they will take to comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

3. Investigating and recommending feasible bridge closure systems focusing on systems that might be used for errant vessel detection, warning signals, and bridge closure for state

DOTs and other bridge owners to consider.

The results of this effort would be fully documented in an FHWA-published report.

The FHWA is seeking formal proposals that address the above objectives. Concept papers are not required. Formal proposals are produced to follow Section 4 – PROJECT PROPOSALS of the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA).

Formal proposals will be evaluated as specified in Subsection 6.1.2 – Phase 2 – Project Proposal

Evaluation and Section 6.2 – Evaluation Factors of the BAA (excluding Factor 1 – Technical

Merit of the Project Concept Paper). In addition, Volume I -Technical Proposal that receives a

“Marginal or “Unacceptable” rating in the Technical Merit evaluation (Factor 2) will be removed from the competition and from further consideration for award or continued evaluation.

The duration of the project should not exceed 15 months. The estimated budget of this work is

$150,000.