5 FAQs About Rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge

On March 26, 2024, a portion of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland collapsed after a large container ship, the Dali, crashed into one of its support piers. The 1.6-mile-long bridge was built in 1977 as an additional crossing of Baltimore's harbor to alleviate congestion on the two existing tunnel crossings. Although much remains uncertain, this blog answers basic questions about the rebuilding of the Key Bridge.

1) What will the cost and timeline look like for rebuilding the bridge?

As the extent of damage is still being assessed, early estimates for the cost to rebuild the Key Bridge vary widely, ranging from $400 million to $2 billion. In contrast, construction of the original Key Bridge over four decades ago cost roughly $316 million, adjusted for inflation. Even according to more conservative estimates, the new Key Bridge will likely cost significantly more to rebuild due to the high price of building materials and changes in modern bridge design.

State and federal officials do not yet have an estimated rebuilding timeline. Construction of the original Key Bridge lasted five years, and some experts expect that the Key Bridge will most likely take at least a few years to rebuild due to the project's scale and complexity, while others have argued it could be completed within a year if prioritized and expedited. The timeline will depend significantly on how efficiently the site can be cleared, how quickly funding is lined up, and whether any permitting and environmental review procedures delay its reconstruction.