Nearly two years after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, Maryland officials say reconstruction efforts are accelerating and are about to enter a full construction phase.
Speaking at the Port of Baltimore on Tuesday, Gov. Wes Moore said the Key Bridge reconstruction was “the fastest-moving major project in the country,” adding that he and U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy were aligned on its aggressive pace.
The bridge collapsed on March 26, 2024, when the cargo ship Dali lost power and crashed into the main dock, killing six construction workers and cutting off an important port crossing that once carried about 30,000 to 33,000 vehicles per day. Traffic has since been rerouted onto already congested area roads.
Moore said the pace of rebuilding reflects the unusually rapid federal and state processes. “I’m very clear: I want to be the governor who cuts the ribbon on this,” he said. “That’s my plan, that’s how fast we’re going, considering just getting the permitting, it could take five to seven years, and we’re done in a few months. To get to 70 percent design-build, you can [have taken] In five years, we did it in just 14 months. “
Additional revenue was also lost due to the closure. Base bridge tolls, originally used to support maintenance of Maryland’s statewide highway system, will no longer be collected. Without that revenue, which will be about $56 million by 2023, the Maryland Transportation Authority, which operates the bridge, won’t be able to repair the road.
current situation
Work on the project is underway in its first phase and is expected to last until this spring.
During this time, engineers are completing detailed design work on the bridge’s foundations, pylons and spans, while pre-construction activities will continue until the end of the year in preparation for main construction.
By the end of the year, crews are expected to continue demolishing all remaining land structures connected to the front bridge and completing a test pile program in the Patapsco River to confirm subsurface conditions for the new foundation. These efforts will lay the foundation for comprehensive construction.
Transportation officials said residents near the bridge site heard a bell-like sound this fall as workers used hydraulic hammers to stabilize and drive piles into the river bed.
Main construction is expected to begin in the coming months as the project enters its second phase.
From this summer to 2028, approaches to the bridge are expected to be formed, while construction of the bridge’s main tower is scheduled to take place from the end of this year to 2028. The towers will form the structural backbone of the new cable-stayed design.
The most visible shift is expected between 2028 and 2029, when crews will install cable-stayed bridges that connect road decks and pylons. Final construction, system installation and testing are expected to follow, with the new bridge expected to open to traffic in 2030.
Who pays for this?
Congress committed in December 2024 to cover 100 percent of replacement costs as the Maryland Transportation Authority moves forward with an updated reconstruction plan, which is currently enacted by higher construction costs and revised engineering requirements.
The initial redevelopment budget is $1.7 billion to $1.9 billion, with an expected opening in 2028. But officials now say the timeline and cost environment have changed significantly. The Federal Highway Administration reports that highway construction costs have risen about 72% over the past five years, driven by increases in materials and labor.
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