Contractor Selection Imminent for First Key Bridge Rebuild Contract

Photo credit: David Trozzo, Maryland Department of Transportation

What’s happening: Almost six months after the catastrophic collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge March 26, Maryland has gone from removing wreckage and reclaiming Baltimore’s harbor to laying the groundwork for an entirely new span higher and longer than its predecessor.

Why it matters: The rebuild process got a big boost July 23, when the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) granted a Categorical Exclusion (CE) classification and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) approval to the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) for the reconstruction of a new Francis Scott Key Bridge. The approval allows the project to avoid a full-scale environmental impact statement, as FHWA said the new bridge will follow the same footprint as the old one and will “not significantly impact the surrounding community, natural, or cultural resources.” MDTA says the new span will continue as a toll bridge and carry two lanes of traffic each way, as before. It will be higher – 230 feet above the river instead of 185 feet for the old bridge. The distance between its supporting piers will be increased by 200 feet to accommodate larger cargo ships.

What’s next: Proposals for the first phase of three procurement contracts are due Aug. 19 and will be awarded in the fall, or even sooner. “In the upcoming weeks, the MDTA will announce our selected Progressive Design Build team and continue the work to open the new bridge in Fall 2028,’’ says David Broughton, a spokesman for the Maryland Department of Transportation. Congress remains divided over providing federal funds for the new bridge.