The rebuild of the Francis Scott Key Bridge will now cost anywhere from $4.3 to $5.2 billion, and the structure will not reopen until late 2030, according to an update from the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA).
The new estimate is more than double the initial projection of under $2 billion and pushes the anticipated reopening nearly two years beyond the fall 2028 timeline that state officials first forecasted.
"Less than two weeks after the collapse, a preliminary estimate was needed to request federal emergency relief funding for immediate clean up and recovery," said Bruce Gartner, executive director for MDTA, in a statement. "Typically, a cost estimate would not be provided on a project of this size until much later in the design process. The Key Bridge Rebuild achieved 70 percent design in 14 months compared to other projects that have averaged seven years, while also progressing construction. Typical transportation projects of this magnitude take years of planning before even beginning and pre-construction activities -- something that Maryland and MDTA has compressed down to months."
According to an MDTA press release, some of the drivers of the increased cost and extended timeline include federally mandated safety upgrades, a significantly expanded pier protection system and the rising price of construction materials. The new bridge will feature a 1,665-foot main span to accommodate larger ships, which requires taller towers and a 230-foot bridge deck. MDTA officials said the scale of the pier protection -- much of which was not factored into the initial estimate -- has added substantial expense.
Mansoureh Jeihani, professor and director of the National Transportation Center at Morgan State University, told the AFRO these cost and timeline increases aren't unusual for a project of this scale.
"It is quite common," said Jeihani. "Not only in bridge construction, but in any long-term construction project. Unexpected changes in interest rates, inflation, supply chains and project designs and the construction process all increase costs and extend timelines."
Jeihani noted that the Gordie Howe International Bridge -- a new crossing connecting Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Canada to increase border capacity and efficiency -- was originally estimated to be complete in 2024 at a cost of $5.7 billion. However, the opening date was pushed back to early 2026, and the cost increased to $6.4 billion.
She added that as MDTA moves forward with the reconstruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, it's critical for agencies to weigh the impacts on nearby communities, not just the technical and financial elements of the project.
"It's extremely important to consider the wide-reaching impact of transportation infrastructure on residents' quality of life, health and public safety," said Jeihani. "This is especially important when thinking about pedestrians, whose needs and safety are often underappreciated in the context of traffic systems."
On Nov. 17, Maryland Governor Wes Moore addressed the new timeline and cost update for the bridge, emphasizing the economic and regional importance of the project.
"We remain committed to rebuilding as safely, quickly, and efficiently as possible, and we continue to move forward in our efforts to pursue litigation against those responsible, so taxpayers aren't on the hook," said Moore in a statement. "While the timeline has shifted and is not what we initially hoped for, I have full confidence in our team. They are working diligently to deliver a new gateway to the global economy that will endure for generations to come."