Baltimore The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed in March after it was hit by a huge container ship that lost power as it left the city’s port. The collision left the damaged Dali container ship was stuck under the remains of the bridge, making entrances and exits Port of Baltimore almost impossible. Now experts have revealed the cost of replacing the damaged bridge, and the figure is staggering.
While restoration efforts on the bridge are ongoing, the Maryland Department of Transportation has confirmed that it plans to do so Replace the Francis Scott Key Bridge as quickly as possible, reports the Associated Press. However, the cost of the replacement could run into the billions, as the website explains:
Maryland plans to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge in just over four years at an estimated cost of between $1.7 billion and $1.9 billion, a state transportation official said Thursday.
The state plans to build a new span by fall 2028, said David Broughton, a spokesman for the Maryland Department of Transportation. He said the cost estimate was preliminary and detailed technical details were not yet confirmed.
When it comes to who pays the bill the mammoth construction effortIt looks like it will mostly be up to state and federal officials to come up with the bulk of the money.
The Dali operator has made several so far tries to limit his financial responsibilityThis included invoking an old maritime law that limits the amount that shipping companies have to spend after disasters. She also looked for ways to spread her responsibilities across all companies that had cargo on board.
There will be no state resources solely with the financing of the new bridgeHowever, AP revealed that the insurance company behind the river crossing has confirmed it will pay $350 million for 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,” AP reports.
While the promise of one new river crossing in Baltimore is a glimmer of hope after the catastrophic collapse, today brought a reminder of the true cost of the collapse as another body was recovered from the bridge’s rubble.
When the Dali hit the Scott Key Bridge, the collision killed six construction workers and now a fifth body has been recovered by recovery 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 is another road worker who was killed in the collision and has not yet been rescued from the rubble.