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39m ago

Maryland Doubles Key Bridge Rebuild Estimate to $4.3–$5.2 Billion, Delays Opening to 2030

Officials cite higher material prices under stricter federal resilience rules.

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View of the Dali cargo vessel which crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge causing it to collapse in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S., April 4, 2024. REUTERS/Nathan Howard
Before full repairs to the Francis Scott Key Bridge are made, engineers and construction workers use test piles to understand the load bearing capacity and feasibility of the new designs. The piles are stored on barges and are moved by large rotating cranes, with one crane being one of the largest of its kind on the East Coast. (Surya Vaidy/Staff)

Overview

  • State transportation leaders reset the cost range to $4.3–$5.2 billion and now expect traffic to return in late 2030, two years later than first projected.
  • The original $1.7–$1.9 billion figure was a rapid, preliminary estimate to access federal emergency relief within weeks of the March 2024 collapse.
  • Key drivers include sharply higher material costs, tougher federal standards for resilience, and a vastly expanded pier‑protection system to guard against ship strikes.
  • Design work is about 70% complete, demolition of remnants is underway, and early construction testing has begun with Kiewit leading the rebuild.
  • Maryland is pursuing damages from the Dali’s owner as the NTSB meets to finalize findings following preliminary evidence of electrical failures on the ship.