One Year Since The Baltimore Key Bridge Collapse, Construction For The New Bridge Has Not Began

By FrumNews.com

Baltimore, MD – This week marks one year since a Mass-Casualty incident (MCI) was declared when a Singapore-flagged full container ship, which had just left the port of Baltimore, bound for Sri Lanka. Struck a pilar of the Baltimore’s Key Bridge (I-695) in Maryland, causing it to collapse. The structure snapped and buckled at several points and tumbled, sending several people and vehicles into the water — into the river in a matter of seconds. 

A team of construction workers was filling potholes on the bridge during the collision, along with passing vehicles-which have all fell into the water during the collapse. Search and rescue teams along with local and state emergency services were immediately deployed. Two of the construction workers were saved and pulled from the river, during rescue operations.

In the moments prior to the vessel collision, a “Mayday” warning from the ship was sent out, when the ship briefly lost power and was unable to steer. Local police and some of the construction workers were able to block traffic from the bridge, heroically saving countless lives.

Sonar detection after the collapse showed multiple vehicles submerged in the water, some still with people trapped inside. The bridge collapse claimed the lives of six individuals.

Tragic #baltimorebridge pic.twitter.com/E97o1USnxW

— Dr. Casinova (@coverhug) March 26, 2024

Afterwards, the Coast Guard continued the search, rescue and recovery efforts in the area, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers cleared the channel allowing the Port of Baltimore waters to reopen to ship traffic.

Before the collapse, the bridge spanned the lower Patapsco River, carrying an estimated of 30,000 computers daily along the vital Route 695, which connects Baltimore to Dundalk, Maryland. The bridge collapse also shut down the Port of Baltimore, one of the largest shipping hubs, which processed 52.3 million tons in 2023.

The NTSB and other state and federal agencies launched their investigations into the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. ​At that time, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and Maryland Governor Wes Moore issued a state of Emergency, freeing up emergency powers to help emergency efforts.

The Port of Baltimore is one of the largest ports in the Northeast, and while trains and trucks were still able to access the port in the months afterwards, cargo ships were halted for several months, which caused a supply chain issue of supplies in the Philadelphia-Baltimore-DC area.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which controls the largest port on the East Coast, assisted in adding capacity at its ports and proactively worked with industry partners and ensured supply chain continuity along the East Coast.

One year later, the design for the new bridge has been unveiled last month, but construction for the bridge has not yet started. Traffic delays on nearby highways are up nearly 15%, but expected to decrease once the new bridge opens, which is scheduled to be completed by fall of 2028, adding more roadway to the region.