Design for Maryland's new Key Bridge unveiled nearly a year after tragic collapse
BALTIMORE -- Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) unveiled the design for the new Francis Scott Key Bridge almost a year after it was hit by a cargo ship, causing it to collapse.
"Today, we take an important step toward recovering from the tragic Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse that has affected not just Maryland's economy, but the nation's economy," said Gov. Moore. "While we mark the unveiling of the new bridge design, we continue to honor the six Marylanders who lost their lives while serving our state and their families who carry their legacy forward. Together, we will show the world what it means to be Maryland Tough and Baltimore Strong."
The Key Bridge was hit by the Dali on March 26, 2024, after the ship lost power. The collapse sent seven workers into the Patapsco River, killing six of them. Another worker was on a portion of the bridge that did not collapse.
Agencies, leaders and lawmakers from across the state jumped into action, setting four key objectives in response to the tragedy: Locate all the victims, clear the channel and reopen the Port of Baltimore, support everyone impacted by the collapse and rebuild the Key Bridge.
"We tackled our first three directives faster than anyone anticipated," Gov. Moore said.
The proposed bridge design honors the architectural tradition of the original Key Bridge, according to the governor.
"Our new bridge will also be constructed in accordance with the most advanced industry standards and the very best in infrastructure design," Gov. Moore said. "We are going to use the best materials available and employ many Marylanders to build it."
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.
"We're basically taking the best of the best that we can find, but we're also very focused on the time to redo this bridge," MDOT Sec. Paul Wiedefeld said.
In the spring, demolition will begin to remove the remaining pillars of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Immediately after that, Gov. Moore says construction will begin.
Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller, whose background is in civil and transportation engineering, says a lot of work is already happening on land and on the water before the demo.
Additional updates on the construction schedule and budget are expected in a few months.
Gov. Moore also highlighted the state's proposed investment in Tradepoint Atlantic and its new shipping terminal project.
"It is going to increase the Port of Baltimore's container capacity by 70%, create more than 8,000 jobs, and generate $1 billion in private investment," Gov. Moore said.
Generating economic growth is a cornerstone of the Moore-Miller agenda this Legislative Session in Annapolis.
Impact of the Key Bridge collapse
The collapse of the Key Bridge impacted operations at one of the country's largest ports along with local businesses and residents who relied on the bridge for their commute.
The main channel at the Port of Baltimore was closed after the bridge collapsed, stopping the flow of goods transported by cargo ships and leaving an impact on the supply chain.
A channel reopened for small boats in April, and in June, a channel reopened for cargo.
Some small businesses saw dips in revenue after the collapse. Owner of Anchor Bay Marina and Hard Yacht Cafe, Alex DelSordo said they lost 9% of their revenue and some employees have been forced to quit their jobs because their commute is upwards of 90 minutes per day.
"That bridge is a connector of commerce for small businesses like in Dundalk, Sparrows Point, the east side of Baltimore," DelSordo told WJZ. "And now that we're 10 months after the fact, we're seeing it every single day, the impact it makes on the employees and also the customer."
Some local organizations launched initiatives to support businesses that were impacted by the collapse.
Fight for funding
Following the collapse of the bridge, former President Joe Biden said the federal government should pay for the cost of reconstruction.
He later approved Gov. Moore's request for funding, giving the state an initial $60 million in emergency relief to recover debris from the Patapsco River.
In November 2024, the former president included money for the Key Bridge in a $100 billion disaster fund request sent to Congress.
By December, Maryland lawmakers announced that federal funding would cover the full cost of rebuilding the bridge.
"This will allow the bridge to be built as quickly as possible," Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin said in a joint statement. "Our provision also ensures that the federal taxpayers will be reimbursed through proceeds from insurance payments and litigation taken on by the Department of Justice, the Maryland Attorney General and others."
Rebuilding the Key Bridge
In August 2024, the MDTA approved a $73 million contract with Kiewit Infrastructure Company for the design and construction of a new bridge.
Pre-construction began in January 2025, and the rebuild is expected to be completed by fall 2028. Kiewit Infrastructure estimated that the project will cost about $2 billion.
The pre-construction activities include inspecting about 1,100 homes and businesses in nearby communities, scanning the riverbed, collecting soil samples and surveying, according to the MDTA.
In January, the MDTA also approved a $75 million contract with the Bridging Maryland Partnership for General Engineering Consultant services. The partnership will perform planning, engineering, construction, management and program support for the rebuild project.
Stakeholders, industry experts and local communities can get updates on the project on the MDTA's Key Bridge Rebuild Facebook page.
