Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key bridge collapsed in March after it was struck by an enormous container ship that lost power while exiting the city’s port. The collision left the stricken Dali container ship stuck under the remnants of the bridge and made entry and exit of the Port of Baltimore nearly impossible. Now, experts have revealed the cost of replacing the damaged bridge, and it’s an eye-watering figure.
While recovery efforts at the bridge remain ongoing, Maryland’s Department of Transportation has confirmed that it plans to replace the Francis Scott Key Bridge as soon as possible, reports the Associated Press. However, the cost of the replacement could spiral into the billions of dollars, as the site explains:
Maryland plans to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge in just over four years at an estimated cost between $1.7 billion and $1.9 billion, a state transportation official said Thursday.
The state plans to build a new span by fall of 2028, said David Broughton, a spokesperson for the Maryland Department of Transportation. He said the cost estimate is preliminary, and detailed engineering specifics have not been confirmed.
When it comes to who will foot the bill for the mammoth construction effort, it does seem like it will be mostly down to state and federal officials to cough up the majority of the funds.
The operator of the Dali has so far made several attempts to limit its financial responsibility, which included calling on an ancient maritime law that caps the amount shipping companies must spend following disasters. It also looked for ways to spread its responsibility among ever company that had cargo onboard.
State funds won’t be alone in paying for the new bridge, however, as AP revealed that the insurance company behind the river crossing has confirmed it will pay up $350 million towards the repairs. The payout, which will be made to the state of Maryland, is expected to “be the first of many payouts related to the collapse,” reports AP.
While the promise of a new river crossing in Baltimore is a shimmer of hope following the catastrophic collapse, today did bring a reminder of the true cost of the collapse as another body was recovered from the wreckage of the bridge.
When the Dali hit the Scott Key Bridge, six construction workers were killed in the collision, and now a fifth body has been recovered by salvage workers. As the AP adds:
The Key Bridge Response Unified Command announced that the victim found Wednesday was identified as Miguel Angel Luna Gonzalez, 49, of Glen Burnie, Maryland. All of the victims were Latino immigrants who came to the United States from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.
There remains one highway worker that was killed in the collision who has not yet been recovered from the wreckage.