Key Bridge partial, full reopening announced by Army Corps of Engineers

The Biden-Harris Administration has announced a whole-government effort in response to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

Supporting affected workers and small businesses, reopening the Port of Baltimore and rebuilding the bridge are the major focuses of this effort, which includes $60 million in emergency relief funds.

On a Friday, April 5 call, the U.S. Department of Transportation, National Economic Council, U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Small Business Administration discussed with trucking stakeholders how to mitigate ongoing challenges caused by the Key Bridge collapse.

Those stakeholders, including the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, provided information regarding alternate routes, issuing waivers of state requirements, cargo movement and the need for added truck parking.

President Joe Biden comments on the economic importance of the Port of Baltimore and Key Bridge

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has released a tentative timeline for reopening the Fort McHenry Channel.

That timeline calls for a limited-access channel to the Port of Baltimore measuring 280 feet wide and 35 feet deep by the end of April.

“A fully opened federal channel remains our primary goal, and we will carry out this work with care and precision, with safety as our chief priority,” Lt. Gen. Scott A. Spellmon, USACE commanding general, said in a news release.

The Army Corps of Engineers is working to restore port access to normal capacity (700 feet wide and 50 feet deep) by the end of May.

On Tuesday, April 9, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore signed the PORT Act into law to support businesses and workers affected by the Key Bridge collapse.

The Port of Baltimore generated more than $3.3 billion in personal income and supported more than 150,000 Maryland jobs in 2023. LL

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