New Key Bridge design unveiled by Governor Moore

DUNDALK, Md. — "This moment is a really big deal," Governor Wes Moore said as he unveiled the design for the new Francis Scott Key Bridge on Tuesday at Tradepoint Atlantic. “But it’s not lost on me and I know it’s not lost on anybody here that today’s triumph was born out of tragedy.”

March 26, 2024, was the day this iconic view changed forever. But almost a year later, we now know what the view of the future will look like.

A team of engineers has been working on this design since the end of the summer. It was a joint effort between the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) and Kiewit Infrastructure, the Nebraska-based contractor chosen for the first phase of the project.

The cable-stayed design is an industry standard today, but it'll be the first of its kind in our state.

"We are going to use the best materials available, and employ many Marylanders to build it," Gov. Moore said.

"I look forward to putting Baltimore’s mark on this bridge by working with the communities on aesthetic design, such as lighting, steel girders color, and planned artwork for the bridge," MDOT Secretary Paul Wiedefeld told the room. "This will add character and uniqueness for Charm City."

When the Key Bridge was built nearly 50 years ago, ships were much smaller. So, the new bridge will be 45 feet taller to accommodate ships of today's size.

The old bridge also didn't have much in the way of pier protection, a term used to describe a structure that protects a bridge's pillars from a collision, like dolphins, fenders, or rock islands.

Wiedefeld says the team still has yet to finalize what that pier protection system will look like.

"So they'll continue to work on that. Clearly, we're gonna use whatever the latest international standards are for protecting any piers. So when you see the final, it may not look exactly like this," he said, showing WMAR-2 News' Elizabeth Worthington the rendering.

We still have a long way to go before a bridge is standing tall in the Patapsco River again. Pre-construction work, like underwater surveys and soil sampling, started in January and is ongoing.

"The next big step will be in the spring when we will have the demolition of the still-enacted pillars that we need to take down. Because immediately after the demolition, we will begin the construction process," Gov. Moore said.

In the meantime, businesses that are cut off from a major artery continue to feel the impact. Armand Patella, executive vice president of the Maryland Motor Truck Association said a recent study conducted by the University of Maryland and Morgan State University estimates the collapse will increase the trucking industry's operating costs by $92.8 million every year until the bridge is rebuilt.

"That totals almost $450 million of additional expense and that's if we remain on schedule so - we're holding you to it," Patella said, laughing and gesturing towards the transportation officials.

Completing the project on time and on budget is a priority for the state. Secretary Wiedefeld says MDOT plans to release an updated schedule and budget in the next month or two. Currently, the estimated completion date is some time in 2028, and the estimated price tag is between $1.7 and $1.9 billion.