Baltimore's Key Bridge redesign: How does it compare to the original?
BALTIMORE — The Key Bridge's replacement should be built by October 2028. While we may not know the final cost for the project or if it will bear Francis Scott Key's name, the Maryland Transportation Authority has released some facts and figures about the redesign.
'The new bridge will be Maryland's first highway cable-stayed bridge, constructed according to the most advanced industry standards and best infrastructure design practices,' the Key Bridge Rebuild website created by MDTA says.
With an expected lifespan of more than a century, the MDTA said the new bridge will be longer, taller and have more distance between its supports than the old Key Bridge, which collapsed into the Patapsco River in March when the freighter ship Dali lost power and crashed into a support pillar. Six construction workers on the bridge died.
The added length and height should create more clearance for large ships. The ever-increasing size of cargo ships was a potential challenge for the previous span, which was built in the 1970s. Where the old bridge had a vertical clearance of 185 feet, the new one will have a minimum 230 feet clearance between the water and the bridge deck.
The new bridge will be around 2 miles, adding 0.3 miles in length from Key Bridge's 1.7 miles. The distance between the main supports will increase by about 400 feet, , from 1,209 feet to 1,600 feet.
The new bridge will have two 12-foot lanes in each direction, according to the website.
For those concerned about the impact a larger structure might have on Baltimore's skyline, a FAQ on the Key Bridge Rebuild website said it should be comparable with the old bridge.
'While the replacement bridge will be taller and wider than the former Key Bridge, that bridge was also a large structure and the second longest bridge in the Baltimore metropolitan area,' it said. 'Therefore, the visual impacts of the new structure are consistent with the previous visual landscape and are not expected to be significant.'
Some reconstruction work has already begun,, with crews collecting soil samples and conducting underwater mapping.
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Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Yahoo
Rating agency downgrades outlook on Maryland Transportation Authority bonds
Cars pass under a toll-collecting gantry on the Intercounty Connector, one of toll facilities operated by the Maryland Transportation Authority. Such gantries have replaced toll booths on the state's toll roads. (Photo courtesy the Maryland Transportation Authority) A key bond rating agency has issued a negative outlook for outstanding revenue bonds issued by the Maryland Transportation Authority, amid uncertainty surrounding the reconstruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Standard & Poor's reaffirmed the authority's AA- bond rating, but in an April 25 report downgraded its outlook from stable to negative and warned of the potential for future changes. 'The outlook revision to negative reflects our view that there is at least a one-in-three chance we could lower the rating within the two-year outlook if potential project cost escalations and uncertain timing of future federal reimbursements weaken the authority's ability to sustain financial metrics at levels comparable with those of peers as it finances the reconstruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge and its $5.1 billion capital improvement program,' S&P Global Ratings credit analyst Andrew Stafford said in a statement. The Standard & Poor's announcement warned: 'We could lower the rating if actual financial performance trends negatively, and is materially weaker than currently forecast due to construction cost escalations, project delays, or softening demand.' 'We do not anticipate raising the rating over the two-year outlook period, given MDTA's relatively high debt burden and additional borrowing plans,' the credit rating agency said. Currently, the authority has $2.1 billion in outstanding debt. In fiscal 2026, which begins in July, that amount is expected to 'increase significantly' to $2.6 billion, according to an analysis by the Department of Legislative Services. Outstanding debt is projected to increase to $3.3 billion in fiscal 2027, before peaking at $3.8 billion in fiscal years 2029 and 2030 — an amount just under the authority's statutory borrowing cap, according to the legislative analysis from February. New Key Bridge design highlights both 'triumph' and 'tragedy' a year after collapse Bond ratings determine the interest rate governments pay on money borrowed for buildings, roads and other infrastructure projects. Lower ratings ultimately cost governments – and taxpayers —more. Revenue bonds issued by the authority are separate from the state's general obligation bond borrowing. A year ago, Moody's reaffirmed the state's coveted AAA rating on general obligation bonds but downgraded its outlook from stable to negative, citing concerns about looming structural deficits driven by programs including the Blueprint for Maryland's Future education reforms. In March, Moody's issued another report citing concerns about cuts to federal employment and other concerns. The firm said Maryland is at greatest risk from those cuts. Moody's, along with Standard & Poor's and Fitch are all expected to meet with state officials this month. From those meetings, the three agencies will issue updated annual bond ratings in advance of a scheduled June bond sale. There are rumblings in corners of Annapolis about a potential downgrade of the state's creditworthiness from one or more of the rating agencies. The state has held the coveted 'triple, triple-A' rating for more than three decades. Maryland got its first triple-A rating from Standard & Poor's in 1961, followed by Moody's 12 years later and Fitch in 1993. The authority operates eight toll facilities including the Fort McHenry and Harbor tunnels, the Bay Bridge, the Gov. Harry W. Nice/Sen. Thomas 'Mac' Middleton Bridge and the Intercounty Connector. It also operated the Key Bridge and is in charge of its replacement. Tolls charged by the authority at those facilities are pledged to repay its borrowing. A Maryland Transportation Authority spokesperson, in an emailed statement said the agency will continue to meet its debt payment obligations. 'The Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) recognizes that the negative ratings outlook reflects the uncertainty associated with a mega project the size of the Key Bridge Rebuild and uncertain timing of when federal funding will be received,' the spokesperson wrote. 'Despite the loss of the Key Bridge and temporary loss of associated revenues, the MDTA expects to remain in compliance with all board directed financial policies and trust agreement covenants.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE The negative outlook comes a year after the catastrophic collapse of the bridge. The span over the Patapsco collapsed after a pier was struck by the Dali, a fully laden 984-foot cargo vessel that lost power. Six people working on the bridge died in the incident. The allision remains under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board. 'The State of Maryland continues to pursue the DALI's owner and manager for all the damages caused by their negligence and incompetence – including the cost to reconstruct the Francis Scott Key Bridge – so that the parties responsible for this tragedy pay for the damages they caused,' the MdTA spokesperson wrote. 'The American Relief Act, 2025, provides that if any additional funds are required to build the new bridge beyond the compensation paid by the DALI, the federal government will provide that funding.' Those federal lawsuits are complicated and ongoing. Final resolution could take years of litigation. Standard and Poor's issued a bond opinion immediately following the incident. In that opinion, the bond rating agency said 'disruption and damage from the recent collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge … is not expected to have immediate credit implications for its ratings' on the authority, Baltimore City or the state. 'However, the long-term financial impact, particularly for MDTA, will likely be unknown for some time,' according to the Standard & Poor's 2024 opinion. Moody's ratings issued its own updated opinion that same month. In it, the agency downgraded the authority's outlook from stable to negative on $2.2 billion in outstanding debt. The company cited 'uncertainty around the Francis Scott Key Bridge's … replacement project's costs, including their funding, and timing. Any negative impact from the replacement project would be on top of financial metrics that were expected to narrow from capital investments prior to the loss of the bridge.' Maryland officials mark one year since collapse of Key Bridge A replacement is expected to cost at least $1.7 billion. Officials hope to complete the new span by 2028. State officials continue to rely on promises of full federal funding for a replacement made by then-President Joseph Biden (D) just hours after the span collapsed. But that promise is less certain since the election of President Donald Trump (R). Trump has made good on his campaign promise to slash government spending and employment. In March, he said he would block plans for a new FBI headquarters in Greenbelt — a project Gov. Wes Moore and others lauded as an economic boon to the state and Prince George's County. Trump's election also cast doubt on the likelihood of federal funding for an east-west Red Line transit project in Baltimore. Moore made construction of the line a signature campaign promise. For now, the authority said it does not expect to speed up a projected toll increase, though one is coming. 'MDTA's current financial plan indicates that toll increases are not needed before FY 2028. This action by S&P is not likely to change the projected timing of that need,' the agency spokesperson wrote. In January, a Department of Legislative Services analysis highlighted the authority's own projection of 'fiscal challenges on the horizon,' including increases in outstanding debt between fiscal 2026 and 2030. That legislative review noted 'the need for action, such as implementing a toll increase to maintain the debt service coverage ratio by fiscal 2028.' The projected need for an increase is a year sooner than the timeline projected in a 2024 analysis. 'Compared to the prior forecast, the current forecast has significant forecasted increases in capital expenditures related to the rebuilding of the Francis Scott Key Bridge,' analysts wrote in their review.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Yahoo
NTSB recommends 3 bridges in Mass. be evaluated for risk of collapse after Baltimore disaster
(AP/Boston 25) — The Maryland Transportation Authority failed to complete a recommended vulnerability assessment that would have shown the Francis Scott Key Bridge was at significant risk of collapse from a ship strike long before its demise last year, according to federal investigators. The bridge collapsed after a massive cargo ship, the Dali, lost power and veered off course, striking one of its support piers. Six construction workers were killed. Maryland leaders could have done more to prevent the deadly disaster, National Transportation Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said during a media briefing Thursday afternoon. The board update comes almost a year after the bridge collapse, which temporarily halted ship traffic through the Port of Baltimore and snarled traffic across the region. Plans to rebuild the bridge are underway and officials have said the new design will be much better protected. When board investigators performed the vulnerability assessment for Baltimore's Key Bridge, they found it was almost 30 times worse than the acceptable risk threshold, according to guidance established by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. The group published the vulnerability assessment calculation in 1991, and all bridges designed afterward were required to be evaluated. In 2009, the group reiterated its recommendation to also conduct assessments for older bridges. Had Maryland officials completed the assessment at any time since then, they 'would have been able to proactively identify strategies to reduce the risk of a collapse and loss of lives associated with a vessel collision with the bridge,' Homendy said. She said as of October, they still hadn't assessed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge even after the Key Bridge collapse. 'There's no excuse,' she said. The board also issued urgent recommendations and a report that lists 30 owners of 68 bridges across 19 states. Homendy said they should learn from Maryland's mistake and perform the assessments to determine whether they need more protection. Three heavily trafficked bridges in Massachusetts landed on the list: Tobin Bridge (southbound upper) -- Owned by MassDOT and built in 1950 Tobin Bridge (northbound lower) -- Owned by MassDOT and built in 1950 Bourne Bridge -- Owned by US Army Corps of Engineers and built in 1935 Sagamore Bridge -- Owned by US Army Corps of Engineers and built in 1935 The federal government has awarded Massachusetts funding to replace the Sagamore and Bourne Bridge, and an underwater tunnel hasn't been ruled out as a possible Tobin Bridge replacement. New Hampshire's Memorial Bridge and Rhode Island's Claiborne Pell Newport Bridge were also named by the NTSB. The Key Bridge opened to traffic in 1977, when the ships visiting Baltimore's port were significantly smaller and standards for pier protection were much less robust. In 1980, a container ship struck the bridge's pier protection and was stopped by a concrete and timber fendering system. But that ship weighed about one-tenth the Dali, which plowed through similar fenders, according to a report documenting the board's findings. 'Although some factors are challenging to modify for existing bridges, the process of calculating vulnerability assessments enables owners to make informed decisions to manage their assets, identify their bridges that may be susceptible to damage from a vessel collision, and appraise and prioritize vessel collision protection projects alongside other projects addressing highway asset needs and risks,' the report says. Homendy said this isn't the first time she's called for the assessments to be completed on some of the nation's older bridges. She said the board has 'been sounding the alarm on this since the tragedy occurred,' including in testimony before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in April 2024. 'We need action,' she said. 'Public safety depends on it.' The board is still investigating what caused the Dali to lose power as it approached the Key Bridge. In an earlier update, investigators said they discovered a loose cable that could have caused electrical issues on the Dali. The ship experienced blackouts twice in the hours before it left the Port of Baltimore en route to Sri Lanka. Justice Department attorneys later alleged its mechanical and electrical systems had been 'jury-rigged' and improperly maintained. They pointed to 'excessive vibrations' that could have loosened electrical connections. The agency's lawsuit was later settled after the Dali's owner, Grace Ocean Private Ltd., and its manager, Synergy Marine Group, agreed to pay over $100 million in cleanup costs. The Singapore-based companies filed a court petition just days after the collapse seeking to limit their legal liability in what could become the most expensive marine casualty case in history. Homendy said the board plans to release more information from its investigation in the coming weeks and months. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Yahoo
Golden Gate Bridge faces ‘unknown' risk of collapse from vessel strike, according to NTSB report
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — The Golden Gate Bridge is one of several Bay Area spans that face 'unknown levels of risk of collapse,' according to a new report from the National Transportation and Safety Board. The report was produced by the NTSB as part of its ongoing response and investigation to the 2024 containership collision that took down the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. Nearly all Cybertrucks recalled in latest blow to Tesla On March 26, 2024, the bridge was struck by the 984-foot Singapore-flagged cargo vessel 'Dali,' which was heading out of Baltimore Harbor when it experienced a loss of electrical power and propulsion. The shop struck Pier 17, the southern pier that supported the central span of the bridge. A portion of the bridge collapsed into the river and portions of the pier, deck, and truss spans collapsed on the vessel's forward deck. A seven-person road crew and an inspector were on the bridge when the ship hit it. The inspector escaped unharmed, and one of the crew survived with serious injuries. The other six crew members died in the collapsed. One of the Dali's 23-person crew sustained a minor injury. According to the NTSB, the Golden Gate Bridge is one of six Bay Area bridges that face an unknown level of risk of collapse from a similar strike. Other Bay Area bridges listed by the agency include: Richmond-San Rafael Bridge — Built in 1956 Carquinez Bridge — Built in 1958 Benicia-Martinez Bridge — Built in 1962 Antioch Bridge — Built in 1978 San Mateo-Hayward Bridge — Built in 1967 Of all the Bay Area bridges listed, the Golden Gate is the oldest, having been constructed in 1937. One bridge that's notably absent from the report is the San Francisco Bay Bridge. All in all, the NTSB identified 68 bridges across the US that should be evaluated for risk of collapse from a vessel strike. Had such an evaluation been performed on the Francis Key Bridge, the report indicates, action could possibly have been taken to prevent the collapse. 'Today's report does not suggest that 68 bridges are certain to collapse,' read a press release accompanying the report. 'The NTSB is recommending that these 30 bridge owners evaluate whether the bridges are above the AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials) acceptable levels of risk. The NTSB recommended that bridge owners develop and implement a comprehensive risk reduction plan, if the calculations indicate a bridge has a risk level about the AASHTO threshold.' The Golden Gate Bridge is owned by the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District. All the other Bay Area bridges mentioned in the report are owned by the Bay Area Toll Authority. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
