Fort McHenry Channel at Port of Baltimore fully restored

June 11, 2024

•

The Fort McHenry Federal Channel at the Port of Baltimore has been fully restored for commercial marine transit.

It had been closed since the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26. Limited access was announced on April 25 ahead of the Monday, June 10 announcement of a return to the original operating dimensions of 700 feet wide and 50 feet deep.

Full restoration involved the removal of approximately 50,000 tons of bridge wreckage from the Patapsco River, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Baltimore District. The Unified Command comprised of more than 50 local, state and federal agencies will continue to survey and remove debris from below the 50-foot mud line to ensure future dredging is not impacted.

Wreckage will continue to be transported to Sparrows Point for follow-on processing – part of routine maintenance.

“We are proud of the unified efforts that fully reopened the Federal Channel to port operations,” Lt. Gen. Scott Spellmon, commanding general of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, said in a statement. “The partnerships that endured through this response made this pivotal mission successful.”

NEWS RELEASE: As part of the #FSKBridge Unified Command, USACE and the @usnavy Supervisor of Salvage & Diving today restored the federal channel to its original operational specs (700’ wide x 50’ deep) for commercial maritime transit through the @portofbalt. Link in thread: pic.twitter.com/FX78crVuZO

— USACE Baltimore (@USACEBaltimore) June 10, 2024

Baltimore traffic update

The Outer Loop of Interstate 695 remains closed at Exit 1, while the Inner Loop is closed at Exit 42 due to the collapse of the Key Bridge. The Maryland Transportation Authority said alternate routes are Interstate 95 or the Interstate 895 tunnels.

Hazardous materials and height restrictions for tunnels remain in place. In addition, Baltimore Harbor Tunnel (I-895) was scheduled to close from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. Monday through Thursday, June 10-13. Delays should be expected, with ultimate closure times dependent upon traffic volumes, Maryland transportation officials said. LL