MARYLAND NEWS – Designs for the Baltimore Bridge unveiled a year after the deadly collapse

Laila Kirkpatrick, Staff Writer

Almost one year after the deadly collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge Maryland officials have unveiled their designs for the bridge’s replacement. The new design features taller installations and aspects that will make it better protected against ship strikes. The construction of the state’s first cable-stayed bridge could be completed by 2028 and will cost upwards of $1.7 billion. Officials who helped design the new bridge claimed that the bridge’s graceful outline and delicate design would help to modernize Baltimore’s skyline. They also stated that the design will be a symbol of resilience, progress, and economic growth. The new design features two towers with cables radiating down the deck. Governor Wes Moore stated, “This is a great day for the state of Maryland.” He went on to say in his press conference late Tuesday that it was “not lost on me that today’s triumph was born out of tragedy.”

The original Key Bridge was a 1.6-mile steel span at the mouth of Baltimore’s harbor that took five years to construct and opened to traffic in 1977. The bridge originally connected various port-oriented industrial communities around Baltimore and allowed drivers to bypass downtown. The bridge was destroyed when a massive contained ship post power slammed into one of the bridge’s support columns on March 26th. The collapse ended up killing six construction workers who were filling potholes. Officials promised to rebuild the bridge which had been a landmark for Baltimore and a central piece of infrastructure.