This week I joined Governor Wes Moore, Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller, Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld and members of the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) Board in revealing the new design for the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
This reveal is one of the most important steps in this monumental, multi-year project. The collaboration between the MDTA, Kiewit and the Bridging Maryland Partnership (a joint venture of contractors including WSP, RK&K and JMT that will perform planning, engineering, construction management and program support services) will ensure that the accelerated design and construction process remains on track.
As a critical connector of the I-695 Baltimore Beltway across the Patapsco River, the Key Bridge served thousands of commuters and commercial vehicles daily. The design represents MDTA’s commitment to not only rebuilding a vital infrastructure component but also to meeting the safety and mobility needs of Maryland’s residents. Some of the details of the design are as follows:
- Cable-stayed bridge
- Two 12-ft Lanes in each direction / 10-ft wide outside shoulders and 4-ft wide inside shoulders per direction of travel
- Total Bridge length more than 2 miles
- 230-foot minimum clearance from water to bridge deck above the federal channel
- Two bridge towers more than 600 feet tall
- Distance between main span pylons exceeding 1,600 feet
- Total length of cable-stayed main span exceeding 3,300 feet
- Expected life span of 100 years
Artistic Daytime Aerial View of the Francis Scott Key Bridge with downtown Baltimore and the Port of Baltimore in the background. (MDTA)
Artistic daytime view of the cable-stayed Ket Bridge with downtown Baltimore in the background. (MDTA)
Pre-construction activities taking place both on land and on the water began in January and will continue over the next few months. These activities will provide vital datapoints to inform further design and construction decisions.
MDTA remains steadfast in its commitment to transparency and collaboration, ensuring that all stakeholders, from local communities to industry experts, can actively participate in this critical project. And this includes our team members at the MDTA. To enhance communication and engagement, we have launched the Key Bridge Rebuild Facebook page. This platform will serve as a vital resource for sharing real-time updates, key milestones and progress reports, providing the public with ongoing insight into the rebuild process, and promoting open dialogue.
As design advances, the MDTA will continue to engage with Marylanders on the future of the bridge. Visit KeyBridgeRebuild.com and follow us on Facebook (Key Bridge Rebuild) for project updates.
I want to thank MDTA’s dedicated employees and the Baltimore region for your continued support of the Key Bridge Rebuild as we aim to restore the connection to the community for future generations.
MDOT Secretary and MDTA Board Chairman Paul J. Wiedefeld, MDTA Executive Director Bruce Gartner and members of the MDTA Board at a press conference revealing the design for the new Francis Scott Key Bridge on Tuesday, February 4. (David Trozzo/MDOT)
Bruce Gartner is Executive Director of the Maryland Transportation Authority.
