Demolition work to begin on final remnants of Baltimore's collapsed Key Bridge this week

CBS News

a day ago

A major milestone in the rebuilding of the Francis Scott Key Bridge is expected start this week.
The Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) says the demolition of what's left of the collapsed bridge could begin as early as Monday, weather permitting.
The demolition efforts in the Patapsco River will take several months with the use of heavy machinery, the state warned.
There won't be any controlled detonations during this phase of the demolition, and the remaining sections of the bridge will be taken down piece by piece.
The demolition is the first step to getting an economic engine and transportation connector back in Baltimore. It was also an anchor in the city's skyline, with an unmatched view
Residents are ready for a new Key Bridge
Residents in Anne Arundel County say they are looking forward to the construction process of the new cable-stay bridge, which will serve as the new gateway to Baltimore.
"I'm hoping to be wowed by the new bridge," said Severn resident Lee Stringham. "I'm hoping they stay on schedule for one thing. I use that bridge almost twice a month to go to Essex for golfing."
Others are hoping for a safer bridge that will reconnect Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties.
"It is a tragedy that the bridge fell, but also it's much better…we are going to have a new bridge, something safer to ride over and cut down on the traffic," said Glen Burnie resident Linda Tisdale. "I think for people who live on this side… the Key Bridge was like a shortcut."
What will the demolition look like?
Work will start with the removal of the bridge deck over the river, then demolition of sections over Hawkins Point and Sollers Point.
Crews will initially remove parts of the collapsed bridge that stand in the way of the alignment of the Key Bridge rebuild, which is expected to be completed in 2028.
What should nearby residents expect?
There will be tug and barge operations on the river, with heavy equipment and trucks seen on the remaining bridge structure.
MDTA says boats and those in the waterways should avoid the collapse site near the demolition process. Demolition crews will use excavators, concrete saws, vacuums, cranes, and trucks.
Heavy and loud construction work will be from 7 a.m. through 7 p.m.
What's next for the Key Bridge rebuild?
The Key Bridge reconstruction project will cost about $2 billion, and it will take about four years to complete.
Pre-construction activities began in January 2025, which included inspections of nearby properties, riverbed scanning, and soil sample collection. In February, the MDTA authorized three contracts worth $20 million each for construction management and inspection services.
A new cable-stay design revealed in February shows that the new structure will visually resemble the original bridge while implementing structural improvements. The new Key Bridge will be taller to better accommodate ship traffic, with the federal shipping channel expanding from 700 to 1,000 feet wide and the base raised by 45 feet to a height of 230 feet.
The bridge roadway will still be two lanes wide going in each direction. Other pier support structures will be implemented to secure the structure.
According to the MDTA, other bridge features include:
Two 12-foot lanes in each direction, 10-foot-wide outside shoulders and 4-foot-wide inside shoulders per direction of travel
Total Bridge length more than 2 miles
Two bridge towers more than 600 feet tall
Distance between main span pylons exceeding 1,600 feet
Total length of cable-stayed main span exceeding 3,300 feet
Expected life span of 100 years
"Our new bridge will also be constructed in accordance with the most advanced industry standards and the very best in infrastructure design," Maryland Gov. Moore said. "We are going to use the best materials available and employ many Marylanders to build it."
Who is paying for the new Key Bridge?
In December 2024, Congress passed a deal on a federal spending package, which allocated $100 billion for disaster relief, including the entire cost of a new Key Bridge.
At the time, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said the efforts to complete the work on a new Key Bridge were "on time and on budget."
"The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge was a national crisis, and meeting the moment would require an act of national unity," Moore said. "Now, we must bring our work to completion by rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge."
How did Baltimore's Key Bridge collapse?
On March 26, 2024, the cargo ship DALI, a 948-foot vessel managed by Singapore-based company Synergy Marine Group, lost power before crashing into the Key Bridge, according to investigators. Six construction workers performing road work on the bridge died after falling into the Patapsco River.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said the ship lost power four times in 12 hours before the collision.
The NTSB blamed MDTA for not conducting a critical vulnerability assessment on the Key Bridge, which it said could have identified the structure's risk of collapse.
The NTSB review found the level of risk for a catastrophic collapse for the Key Bridge was nearly 30 times higher than acceptable risk levels.
"The MDTA would've had information to proactively identify strategies to reduce the risk of a collapse and loss of lives associated with a vessel collision with the bridge," NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy said.