Overview
- Maryland engineers are executing a 12‑pile program to verify foundation capacity before committing to full-scale construction.
- Eight piles have been driven through soft riverbed sediment into the anticipated hard layer, confirming preliminary geotechnical assumptions.
- A steel template will apply roughly 10 million pounds of force in formal load checks, with the test program expected to wrap up in early January.
- Some test piles may be incorporated into the final foundation if they meet capacity criteria once testing is complete.
- Demolition continues with the deck removed and about one‑fifth of the steel still standing, a process projected to run into early 2026 as officials remain cautious about schedule forecasts.