Cost To Rebuild Baltimore’s Key Bridge Skyrockets to $5.2 Billion, Completion Pushed to 2030

The estimated cost to rebuild Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge has more than doubled to as much as $5.2 billion, with the completion date now pushed back two years to late 2030, Maryland officials have announced.The staggering new figures from the Maryland Transportation Authority paint a starkly different picture from the initial estimates released just weeks after the bridge’s catastrophic collapse in 2024. Originally, the project was projected to cost between $1.7 billion and $1.9 billion and be finished by the fall of 2028.The new announcement came just a day before the National Transportation Safety Board is scheduled to hold a public hearing to determine the probable cause of the collapse, which killed six construction workers when the cargo ship Dali struck a support pier.Officials attribute the dramatic cost increase to several factors, including soaring material costs, challenging economic conditions, and significant design changes. These updates include a more robust pier protection system to prevent a similar disaster and modifications to accommodate larger ships.“As design has advanced and pre-construction work progresses, it has become clear that material costs for all aspects of the project have increased drastically since the preliminary estimates were prepared less than two weeks after the initial tragedy,” the acting Transportation Secretary and MDTA Chairman, Samantha J. Biddle, said in a statement.Maryland’s Democratic governor, Wes Moore, acknowledged the new reality while reaffirming the state’s dedication to the project.“Just as families across the country are dealing with the reality of increased costs, so is Maryland,” Mr. Moore said in a statement. “While the timeline has shifted and is not what we initially hoped for, I have full confidence in our team. They are working diligently to deliver a new gateway to the global economy that will endure for generations to come.”The governor also blamed President Trump for the soaring costs. “Trade policies out of Washington, D.C. have raised prices on everything — including essential materials we need in order to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Still, despite this new economic reality, our resolve is unwavering.”Still, the governor vowed that the state will pursue litigation against those responsible for the collapse “so taxpayers aren’t on the hook.”The federal government — American taxpayers, in other words — has committed to covering the full cost of the rebuild. Senator Chris Van Hollen commented on the new estimate, highlighting the importance of federal support and the state’s legal actions.“The commitment of full federal funding has always been critical to completing this project as efficiently as possible, and I know the state remains committed to ensuring any proceeds from the litigation go towards its completion,” said the Maryland Democrat.Despite the setbacks, officials noted the project’s accelerated pace, with MDTA Executive Director Bruce Gartner stating that the design process was compressed from a typical seven years down to just 14 months.The new bridge is designed to last 100 years and will feature two 12-foot lanes in each direction.

Cost To Rebuild Baltimore’s Key Bridge Skyrockets to $5.2 Billion, Completion Pushed to 2030

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