Click play to listen to this article.

(Maryland News Connection) Last week, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee heard testimony on the state and federal response to the collapse of the Key Bridge. In addition to a recap of the cleanup efforts, testimony turned to bridge replacement and who is paying for it.

Senator Ben Cardin, D-Md., and Senator Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., introduced the Baltimore Bridge Response Invests and Delivers Global Economic Relief Act, in which the federal government would fund 100 percent of the replacement of the bridge and its approaches. Cardin said the money is needed immediately.

Image

"We are asking for the 100 percent, because that's what we've done in the past and we need it now," Cardin emphasized. "Because we are lending contracts to start the construction now. We don't want to delay this. Every month it's delayed is additional loss to our communities, and frustration among drivers, not only those that are directly impacted by the port, but those that are using our streets."

The legislation requires any funds recovered from insurance proceeds or as compensation for damages be used to reduce the federal government outlay. The current estimate to replace the bridge is $1.7 billion.

The Maryland Transportation Authority is evaluating proposals from design-build teams and expects to have a team chosen by mid- to late summer. Senators in the committee focused on safety upgrades to protect bridge piers against collisions from Neo-Panamax size ships such as the container ship Dali.

Paul J. Wiedefeld, Maryland transportation secretary, said designers will ensure pier protection.

"Whether it's through islands or actually moving the piers further apart," Wiedefeld explained. "If you put these piers much further apart, obviously, that's a natural protection. That'll be played out through the design as a high priority."

The bridge rebuild completion target is fall 2028.