Latest news with #PatapscoRiver
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Demolition work on Key Bridge remnants starts Monday
Demolition work on the remaining pieces of the Francis Scott Key Bridge was expected to start Monday and continue over the next several months. The effort begins this week with work mainly focused on 'mobilizing assets and equipment,' said Maryland Transportation Authority Press Secretary Briana McEachern. Crews will then start dismantling the remaining roadway over the Patapsco River, more than a year after the bridge's main span plummeted into the water, killing five when a support pier was hit by the container ship Dali. Preconstruction work on a new bridge, scheduled for completion in 2028, started in January. The new cable-stayed span is expected to cost up to $1.9 billion. The remaining spans, which officials say interfere with the alignment of the new bridge, won't go out with a bang — no controlled demolitions are planned. Instead, crews are expected to take several months dismantling the remaining roadway over the river and then shifting to the still-standing beams and piers on the land-side approaches. The original bridge abutments — the land-based parts that support the bridge — will be taken out last. The demolition work is subject to weather, and this week's forecast calls for rain and storms as remnants of Tropical Depression Chantal pass through the mid-Atlantic. _____
CBS News
07-07-2025
- Automotive
- CBS News
Demolition work to begin on final remnants of Baltimore's collapsed Key Bridge this week
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.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Harbor East roadways closed for oil spill reopen Sunday evening
Roadways that were closed in Baltimore's Harbor East for the oil spill cleanup efforts this past week will reopen Sunday evening. Over 5,000 gallons of diesel fuel spilled into Baltimore's harbor beginning Wednesday. Cleanup crews have since recovered 4,700 gallons of the fuel, according to the Coast Guard. To prepare for Monday morning commuters, roads in Harbor East, including Central Avenue between Lancaster and Point streets, will reopen Sunday at 7 p.m., according to a news release from Mayor Brandon Scott's office. The Harbor Connector will resume its Route 1 service between Maritime Park and Locust Point Monday morning, the release says. Harbor Connector Routes 2 and 3 will continue operating normally. Hopkins committed Thursday to handling the costs of the cleanup, which has mostly contained the spill to a 100-by-250-yard area of the Patapsco River, near the Harbor Point Connector Bridge in Fells Point. Sun reporter Mat Schumer contributed to this article. Have a news tip? Contact Racquel Bazos at rbazos@ 443-813-0770 or on X as @rzbworks.
CBS News
05-06-2025
- General
- CBS News
Fuel spill into Baltimore's harbor creates long-term environmental concerns
Crews worked around the clock to clean up 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel that dyed the water red near Harbor East and had environmental groups concerned about long-term impacts. Crews worked around the clock to clean up 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel that dyed water near Harbor East red and had environmental groups concerned about long -term impacts. CBS News Baltimore The spill began more than a mile away on the Johns Hopkins Hospital campus on Fayette Street near Broadway. The spill began more than a mile away on the Johns Hopkins Hospital campus on Fayette Street near Broadway. CBS News Baltimore When tanks for emergency generators were overfilled, the diesel went into the stormwater system and drained into the Patapsco River. "Unfortunately, this is something we deal with because of our underground pipe infrastructure that basically treats our streets as our streams," said Alice Volpitta, from the non-profit Blue Water Baltimore. "And by that, I mean anything that spills on our streets goes right into our streams without being treated." Blue Water Baltimore's boat was already scheduled to do routine water quality monitoring the day of the spill. "We were able to leverage that opportunity to take our boat out and try to see if there's any impact from this fuel spill," Volpitta said. Volpitta said it is crucial to get to the bottom of what happened. "Was there something that went wrong mechanically or potentially as a result of user error in the refueling process? That's something we don't know yet, but if there aren't already, there ought to be stricter regulations in place to make sure spills like this don't happen," Volpitta said. "We just don't know exactly where it went wrong." Volpitta added, "The regulatory agencies need to get a handle on the full extent of the spill, but also what happened at Johns Hopkins Hospital to allow this spill to occur." Past fuel spills While 2,000 gallons is larger than many recent spills, it happens more often than you may realize. Last year, 500 gallons of fuel spilled after a boat fire in Canton. The year before, Harbor East waters were again dyed red from a diesel spill. In 2017, a truck carrying diesel overturned on the JFX, spilling fuel into the Jones Falls, which headed to the harbor. Environmental concerns A fuel spill into Baltimore's harbor can bring about many environmental concerns, including for wildlife. "Diesel is lighter than crude oil and evaporates more quickly, but I think it can seep into mud or marshy areas, and some of it may sink below the surface, so it's very important to remediate it as soon as possible," said Dr. Sam Sherchan, a biologist at Morgan State University. Sherchan noted that the quick use of pumps and absorbent material is crucial. "They act like paper towels where they soak up the diesel, and the skimmers they're using are mechanical devices that skim the diesel off the water," Dr. Sherchan said. Sherchan has concerns about the long-term environmental impact. The DNR has already worked to clean wildlife. He has concerns about the long-term environmental impact. The DNR has already worked to clean wildlife. CBS News Baltimore "The contaminated mud, when it gets stirred up again it can become toxic to wildlife," Sherchan said. "Animals that come into contact with the water may become sick and die. In the long term, we want to see continuous monitoring of water and air to make sure that it's safe." Harbor Splash Two weeks ago, athlete Katie Pumphrey swam in the Inner Harbor. Two weeks ago, athlete Katie Pumphrey swam in the Inner Harbor. CBS News Baltimore The next public Harbor Splash event is scheduled in just 15 days. It aims to showcase progress in cleaning up waterways that could now be in jeopardy. "These types of episodic pollution incidents are just part of the unique set of challenges facing urban waterways," Volpitta said.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
21M gallons of partially treated wastewater in Patapsco prompt advisory
The Anne Arundel County Department of Health issued an advisory against direct contact with the Patapsco River after 21 million gallons of partially treated wastewater overflowed into the waterway, impacting the headwaters of the river to Bodkin Creek. Health officials said the overflow came from the Patapsco Wastewater Treatment Plant in Baltimore City after a structural issue led to the bypass of nitrogen-reducing equipment. Officials said the wastewater did not meet the standard for discharge but confirmed that raw sewage did not enter the waterway. The overflow was initially reported to the Anne Arundel County Department of Health at 11 p.m. Thursday and was listed as ongoing, health department officials said. Baltimore City Department of Public Works officials told Anne Arundel County's health department that the plant had been fully operational at 6 p.m. Thursday. The Anne Arundel Department of Health issued the advisory Friday against direct water contact for seven days due to the risk of wastewater affecting Anne Arundel County recreational waters. Typically after rainfall, Anne Arundel County beaches are under an advisory against swimming and other direct-water contact for at least 48 hours due to the risk of high bacteria levels. However, the overflow added additional days to the advisory. The seven-day notice advised anyone who comes in contact with the affected water to 'immediately wash well with soap and warm water.' 'Anyone fishing in the Patapsco River and neighboring waterways should be cautious and consider wearing gloves, and if there is any water contact, wash your hands with soap and warm water as soon as possible,' the advisory reads. Residents can sign up for water quality email notifications about closings and advisories by visiting the Anne Arundel County Department of Health's alert page on its website. This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Matt Hubbard at mhubbard@ 443-651-0101 or @mthubb on X.
