MD Awards Contract For Key Bridge Rebuild Following Deadly Collapse

BALTIMORE, MD — Maryland transportation officials on Thursday approved a contract for rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge, five months after the deadly collapse that claimed the lives of six road construction workers.

The Maryland Transportation Authority approved a $73 million contract for the project's first phase to Kiewit Infrastructure, which will oversee the design and construction of the bridge following the March 26 collapse.

The rebuild project is slated to begin next year and the replacement bridge is expected to open by fall 2028, officials said. In all, the project is estimated to cost $1.7 billion and would include significantly more pier protection to better defend against future wayward ships, according to an Associated Press report.

The bridge collapsed into the frigid Patapsco River in the early morning hours of March 26 after the container ship Dali lost power and slammed into one of the structure's support columns.

The collision with the massive ship sent a span of the bridge plummeting into the river, blocking access to the harbor and halting most maritime traffic through the city’s port.

A road crew was on the bridge patching potholes on I-695 overnight when the collision happened. Six workers were killed, all of whom hailed from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.

Following the completion of Phase 1 of the rebuild, Kiewit will have exclusive negotiating rights for Phase 2, which includes the final design, engineering and construction.

Kiewit’s proposal was the most expensive of the three the MDTA considered but scored highest on technical aspects, according to a Baltimore Banner report.

Kiewit will design a structure with at least 230 feet of clearance above the main shipping channel in the Patapsco River, according to Coast Guard guidance obtained by the Banner. The previous bridge stood 185 feet above the water’s surface depending on the tide. The main span should also be 200 feet longer than the previous bridge.

On Thursday, the MDTA approved a proposal to remit the proceeds from a recent $350 million insurance payout to the federal government, according to an AP report. They called the decision a show of good faith as lawmakers continue to negotiate whether the federal government will cover 100 percent of the cleanup and rebuilding costs.

State officials also approved the temporary suspension of toll collection on the I-695/Exit 44 turnaround until the completion of the rebuild project. The MDTA began this pilot program in May to mitigate the effect of the bridge's closure on local traffic.