MDTA announces construction management, inspection services contracts for Baltimore Key Bridge rebuild

BALTIMORE -- The Maryland Transportation Authority approved three contracts in the Francis Scott Key Bridge rebuild Wednesday. The update comes almost a year after the bridge was struck by a cargo ship after it lost power, causing it to collapse.

The collapse, which happened on March 26, 2024, sent seven bridge workers into the Patapsco River, killing six. 

The contracts are for construction management and inspection services and are worth $20 million each.

The Maryland Board of Public Works approved contracts with Greenman-Pederson, Inc./Gannett Fleming, Inc.; Michael Baker International, Inc./STV, Inc.; and AECOM Technical Services, Inc.

The consulting teams will oversee various aspects of the reconstruction, including constructability reviews, inspections of erosion control, traffic maintenance, materials testing, and scheduling. They will work alongside MDTA's General Engineering Consultant and Kiewit Infrastructure Co., the project's design builder.

New Key Bridge design unveiled

Last week, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) unveiled the design for the new Key Bridge. The latest build will visually mimic the original bridge's architecture while having structural improvements. 

Plans for the new Key Bridge reveal significant changes to accommodate larger vessels, with the shipping channel expanding from 700 to 1,000 feet wide under a cable stay design.

The bridge's clearance will increase by 45 feet, reaching a height of 230 feet above the water, to allow for greater ship traffic. 

Key Bridge rebuild begins

For about a month, the MDTA has been working on pre-construction activities around the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which involves gathering data about the riverbed and soil sampling. 

Amid a shortage of skilled laborers, the Community College of Baltimore County said it plans to train workers to replace the Key Bridge, the Baltimore Banner reported. 

How will the bridge be funded?

After the collapse, former President Joe Biden said he would push the federal government to pay for the cost of the bridge's reconstruction, later approving $60 million in emergency relief funding to recover debris from the Patapsco River. 

In November 2024, money for the rebuild was included in a  $100 billion disaster fund request sent to Congress. 

In December 2024, lawmakers announced that federal funding would cover the full cost of the rebuild.