An independent investigation by the New Hampshire Attorney General's Office has concluded human error is to blame for an incident on the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge over the Piscataqua River in Portsmouth. The investigation found that both actions and inactions by the bridge operator and the gate operator on duty during the evening of May 20, 2001 led to the raising of the bridge gates and a green light signal for motorists to proceed while the lift bridge was still in a raised position above the road level.

According to the Attorney General's Office, both New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) employees failed to follow established NHDOT policies and procedures. The investigation found the bridge operator's actions and inactions included: "failure to properly station the gate operator on the Kittery side of the raise span during the lift, failure to notice several indicator lights showing that the bridge was in the raised position, failure to notice warning lights indicating the span locks for the raise span were not drawn nor driven, failure to make use of the analog gage showing that the bridge was in the raised position, failure to make use of the two digital readout gages showing that the bridge was in the raised position overriding the span locks, overriding the gates, ignoring and overriding a warning buzzer sounding as a result of the override of the span locks and gates, and failure to make a visual inspection out the side window of the operator's hut of the bridge span located approximately fifteen feet away. The gate operator failed to perform any meaningful function at all during the lifting operation in direct contravention of established policies and procedures."

In response to the findings by the Attorney General's Office, the New Hampshire Department of Transportation has terminated the employment of the two individuals involved in the incident. These two employees had previously been on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

Additionally, the NHDOT has made it permanent policy that no manual override of the automated bridge lift system operations will be allowed without approval of a Bureau of Bridge Maintenance supervisor.

The Department of Transportation will also be reviewing an ongoing construction contract for improvements to the bridge lift operations at the Long Bridge to examine what additional features might be implemented to further enhance safety.

Telephone:
   (603) 271-3734
Fax:
   (603) 271-3914