U.S. Army of Engineers issues permit for reconstruction of Key Bridge
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has issued its permit decisions which grant the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) permission to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which collapsed on March 26, 2024.
Some of the permissions include specific parameters for dredging in the water, modifications, and discharging any dredged or fill material.
In-water construction of the new bridge, which will connect the I-695 Baltimore Beltway, is expected to begin in the fall of 2024, but that will also require similar permit verification from the U.S. Coast Guard.
The rebuild is expected to be completed by fall 2028. Kiewit Infrastructure estimated that the project will cost about $2 billion.
"Less than one year after the catastrophic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, Baltimore District is proud to have provided fair and efficient permitting efforts to enable the construction of a new bridge," Baltimore District Commander Col. Francis Pera said. "To have both removed the bridge wreckage and issued relevant permits for its reconstruction on this timetable is a testament to our dedicated Regulatory Branch and our mission to support an energetic economy across the Mid-Atlantic."
According to Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, authorization for construction in or over any navigable water of the United States, including dredging or disposal of dredged materials, excavation, or any other modification, is required from the secretary of the Army, acting through USACE.
For about two months, the MDTA has been working on pre-construction activities around the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which involves gathering data about the riverbed and soil sampling.
Key Bridge collapse
Around 1:30 a.m. on March 26, 2025, the cargo ship Dali lost power before crashing into the Key Bridge, causing it to collapse and knocking eight construction workers into the Patapsco River. Five of the construction workers died.
The bridge collapse blocked the main passageway to the Port of Baltimore for weeks. Finally, on June 11, larger commercial vessels were permitted to pass through.
MDTA authorizes construction contracts
In February 2025, the MDTA authorized three contracts for the Key Bridge reconstruction, which are for construction management and inspection services worth $20 million each.
The Maryland Board of Public Works approved contracts with Greenman-Pederson, Inc./Gannett Fleming, Inc.; Michael Baker International, Inc./STV, Inc.; and AECOM Technical Services, Inc.
The consulting teams will oversee various aspects of the reconstruction, including constructability reviews, inspections of erosion control, traffic maintenance, materials testing, and scheduling. They will work alongside MDTA's General Engineering Consultant and Kiewit Infrastructure Co., the project's design builder.
Key Bridge design
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and the MDTA unveiled the design for the new Key Bridge. The latest build will visually mimic the original bridge's architecture while having structural improvements.
Plans for the new Key Bridge reveal significant changes to accommodate larger vessels, with the shipping channel expanding from 700 to 1,000 feet wide under a cable stay design.
The bridge's clearance will increase by 45 feet, reaching a height of 230 feet above the water, to allow for greater ship traffic.
How will the bridge be funded?
After the collapse, former President Joe Biden said he would push the federal government to pay for the cost of the bridge's reconstruction, later approving $60 million in emergency relief funding to recover debris from the Patapsco River.
In November 2024, money for the rebuild was included in a $100 billion disaster fund request sent to Congress.
In December 2024, lawmakers announced that federal funding would cover the full cost of the rebuild.
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