It's been 1 year since Baltimore's Key Bridge collapsed. Where does the rebuild stand?
One year ago, Baltimore's iconic Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed in the middle of the night after it was struck by a large cargo ship leaving the Port of Baltimore. The deadly collapse crippled the port - and traffic around Baltimore - for months.
Within a matter of months, state and federal leaders collaborated to fund and reconstruct a brand-new bridge, which is expected to be finished by the fall of 2028.
On March 26, 2024, investigators
said the DALI
, a 948-foot vessel managed by Singapore-based company Synergy Marine Group, lost power before crashing into the Key Bridge. Six construction workers performing road work on the bridge died after falling into the Patapsco River.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said the
ship lost power four times in 12 hours
before the collision.
Earlier this month, the NTSB faulted the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) for
not conducting a critical vulnerability assessment
on the Key Bridge, which it said could have identified the structure's risk of collapse.
The NTSB review found the level of risk for a catastrophic collapse for the Key Bridge was nearly 30 times higher than acceptable risk levels.
"The MDTA would've had information to proactively identify strategies to reduce the risk of a collapse and loss of lives associated with a vessel collision with the bridge," MDTA chair Jennifer Homendy said when releasing the board's findings.
The Key Bridge construction is expected to cost about $2 billion and it could take
at least four years
to complete.
Here's where we stand:
Maryland leaders unveiled the
vision of the new Key Bridge
in February.
The rebuild will visually mimic the original bridge's architecture while having structural improvements. Officials said the new bridge will be taller, to accommodate ship traffic with ease.
The cable stay design of the new bridge will allow the federal shipping channel to expand from 700 ft. to 1,000 ft. wide. The base of the bridge will also be raised to 230 ft., which is a 45-foot increase to accommodate ship traffic.
The roadway will still be two lanes wide going in each direction. Other pier support structures will be implemented to secure the structure.
According to the MDTA
, other bridge features include:
"Our new bridge will also be constructed in accordance with the most advanced industry standards and the very best in infrastructure design," Maryland Gov. Moore said. "We are going to use the best materials available and employ many Marylanders to build it."
In December 2024, Congress passed a deal on a
federal spending package
, which allocated $100 billion for disaster relief, including the entire cost of a new Key Bridge.
At the time, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said the efforts to complete the work on a new Key Bridge were "on time and on budget."
"The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge was a national crisis, and meeting the moment would require an act of national unity," Moore said. "Now, we must bring our work to completion by rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge."
In the spring, demolition will begin to
remove the remaining pillars
of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Immediately after that, Gov. Moore said construction will begin.
In-water construction of the new bridge, which will connect the I-695 Baltimore Beltway, is expected to begin in the fall of 2025, but that will also require permit verification from the U.S. Coast Guard, according to officials.
MDTA anticipates the new Key Bridge to
reopen by October 15, 2028
.
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