Hossein Ghara
For
almost 30 years, Mr. Ghara has worked as a Bridge Design Engineer for the State
of Louisiana. Since 2002 Mr. Ghara has worked as the State’s Bridge Engineer for
the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development with responsibilities
including stress analysis and economic studies of bridge structures as well as
the formulation of Highway Safety Programs throughout the state. Ghara received
a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Louisiana at
Lafayette and a Masters of Business Administration from Louisiana State
University. He is also a registered Professional Engineer for the State of
Louisiana.
Recommendations for Bridge and Tunnel Security
Terrorism against American citizens and assets is real and growing.[1] The number and intensity of domestic and international terrorist events, along with the September 11, 2001, attacks, change the way Americans think and live. Terrorists attack targets where human casualties and economic consequences are likely to be substantial. Transportation and related assets are attractive terrorist targets because of their accessibility and potential impact on human lives and economic activity.[2] Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups are perceived to be unyielding, tenacious, and patient. An Al Qaeda terrorist training manual captured in England contains goals that included missions for "gathering information about the enemy and blasting and destroying bridges leading into and out of cities."[3] In a similar vein, as a Caltrans-funded Bay Area Security Enhancement Project neared completion, a captured Al-Qaeda leader revealed "a bridge in San Francisco or San Mateo was on a list of possible targets for the terrorist network."[4]
A Blue Ribbon Panel (BRP) of bridge and tunnel experts from professional practice, academia, federal and state agencies, and toll authorities convened to examine bridge and tunnel security and to develop strategies and practices for deterring, disrupting, and mitigating potential attacks. The BRP, sponsored jointly by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), acknowledges that the nation’s bridges and tunnels are vulnerable to terrorist attacks. The intent of this presentation is to recommend policies and actions to reduce the probability of catastrophic structural damage that could result in substantial human casualties, economic losses, and socio-political damage.
The success and safety of the transportation system, combined with the perceived
number of parallel routes can lead to the conclusion that the transportation
system is so robust that it is not susceptible to significant disruption by
terrorist attack. In the opinion of the BRP members, this conclusion is
incorrect. In many parts of the country, the transportation system is straining
to keep up with the current demands of society and the economy. The actions of
terrorists can impose critical damage to some bridges, and, with explosive
forces, exert loads that exceed those for which components are currently being
designed. Worse yet, in some cases, the loads can be in the opposite direction
of the conventional design loads. The nation’s highway system has
vulnerabilities, which must be addressed. This is important enough to be a
matter of national security policy.
The Blue Ribbon Panel on Bridge and Tunnel Security “Recommendations for Bridge and Tunnel Security, Executive Summary.” U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration 23 Sept 2003. 7 June 2004 <http://fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/security/brpexsum.htm>