To some, a road can just be a road, and a bridge, just a bridge.
But Maryland leaders argue the new Francis Scott Key Bridge will be a symbol of freedom, connecting people to opportunities and to one another.
Those were the remarks of Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller, a former transportation engineer, during a news conference on Tuesday.
The new cable-stayed bridge will feature two lanes on each side, enhanced pier protection, and is designed to be wider and taller to accommodate larger vessels passing beneath it.
Governor Wes Moore emphasized that the new bridge is not only crucial for the 1.9 million commuters who rely on it, but also for the national economy, given its proximity to the Port of Baltimore.
“We are going to cement Baltimore as a maritime hub for the East Coast and for this nation,” Moore said. “We get cars from Michigan out to market. We bring sugars and spices to Louisiana. And we haul farm equipment from the East Coast deep into the farmland.”
On March 26, 2024, the cargo ship Dali struck the bridge killing six road repair workers.
Asked whether the new bridge will include a memorial for those who lost their lives there, Moore responded that “the memory of those we lost, will not be forgotten.”
Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld said cost and timeline were the primary factors guiding the bridge’s design.
Leaders, including a senior official with the Federal Highway Administration, said they expect the federal government to follow through on paying for the bridge. Congress has already passed authorization for the project, which could cost about $2 billion.
“For our organization, it was never a matter of how much a new bridge would cost,” said Armand Patella with the Maryland Motor Truck Association. “It was really a matter of how much it would cost not to rebuild. ”
He cited a joint study by the University of Maryland and Morgan State University. It estimates the trucking industry’s operating costs, will increase to roughly $450 million, without the Key Bridge.
For that reason, Patella hopes the new bridge is constructed safely, and opens quickly.
While many drivers are looking forward to the new structure and its reduced traffic impacts, some say the new design is a missed opportunity.
Last summer, the Baltimore Transit Equity Coalition urged the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) to consider light rail in the design.
“In the future when feasible, viable, and sustainable light rail can be installed,” said Samuel Jordan, who leads the coalition.
He told WYPR that adding a light rail option would link those in underserved neighborhoods, without cars, get to work.
“They could ride to places like Tradepoint Atlantic where Amazon, UPS and FedEx are located," Jordan said in June.
For now, officials are moving forward with the design. They are confident that the new bridge will open on time, with plans for completion by the fall of 2028.
But first, the remaining pillars must be demolished. Once that’s done, work on the new bridge will begin this spring.
