Maryland Transportation Authority Releases Updated Estimates for Cost Range and Schedule for Francis Scott Key Bridge Rebuild

Federally Mandated Safety Standards Include Robust Pier Protection

and Taller Towers for Longer Main Span

The Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) continues to work in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration to quickly and safely advance the rebuilding of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The MDTA Board is prepared to update their financial forecast to include the updated cost estimate range to $4.3-$5.2 billion with an anticipated open-to-traffic date in late 2030. 

“As design has advanced and pre-construction work progresses, it became clear that material costs for all aspects of the project have increased drastically since the preliminary estimates were prepared less than two weeks after the initial tragedy,” said Acting Transportation Secretary and MDTA Chair Samantha J. Biddle. “The updated cost range and schedule are directly correlated to increased material costs and to a robust pier protection system designed to protect the new Key Bridge and reduce the likelihood of a future ship strike to the bridge’s foundational piers. The new Francis Scott Key Bridge isn’t just a local infrastructure project - it’s vital to our nation’s economy and will connect the Baltimore region to economies throughout the United States and the world. Although rebuilding will take longer than initially forecasted and cost more, we remain committed to rebuilding as safely, quickly and cost effectively as possible.” 

Preliminary estimates for the cost and timeline of the rebuild were made less than two weeks after the initial incident in March 2024. Since then, national economic conditions have changed significantly and material costs have increased dramatically. Pre-construction activities, updated datapoints and advanced design – not available in the immediate days following the bridge collapse – have been used to inform the MDTA on an updated estimated cost and schedule for the project. After negotiations with the progressive design builder Kiewit are complete, MDTA anticipates the final cost of the project will be within the estimated price range. 

“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 MDTA Executive Director Bruce Gartner. “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% 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 design and pre-construction activities – something that Maryland and MDTA has compressed down to months.”

Pier Protection

The increased length of the main span, now 1,665 feet, has resulted in an increase of the overall span of the bridge and the height of the main piers. The increased size accommodates today’s larger marine traffic and is needed to comply with current guidelines from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials for new bridges. The size and cost of the pier protection, the extent of which was not accounted for in the preliminary estimate, adds a significant cost to the project.  For perspective, the new protective fenders are larger than a football field. The towers needed to accommodate both the length and 230-foot height of the bridge deck add a significantly higher cost than initial assumptions. 

Construction Cost 

According to the Federal Highway Administration, highway construction costs have increased approximately 72% in the last five years, which has led to an uncertain construction and bonding market nationwide. Inflation remains a risk to the cost of materials and contractors continue to price that risk into their bids. The cost of raw materials and labor remains constantly in flux. When pricing construction jobs, uncertainty equates to risk, which impacts cost. 

The American Relief Act (P.L. 118-158) authorized more than $8 billion for the Emergency Relief Program authorized under 23 U.S.C. § 125 and provides that the federal share for Emergency Relief funds for responding to the Dali’s destruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge will be 100%.

The State has and will continue to make substantial financial commitments and contributions to support the Key Bridge reconstruction—including advancing upfront construction costs and contributing hundreds of millions of dollars in insurance proceeds toward the rebuilding effort. 

To minimize the burden on federal taxpayers, and consistent with the American Relief Act, the State of Maryland continues to pursue the DALI’s owner and manager for all the damages caused by their gross negligence– including the cost to reconstruct the Francis Scott Key Bridge and all damages caused to the State – so that the parties responsible for this tragedy pay for the damages they caused. Any funds recovered in the lawsuit will be used upon receipt to reduce liability on the bridge’s reconstruction from the emergency fund (not exceed the total amount of liability for the bridge’s reconstruction from the emergency fund).

The team is making significant progress in the design and pre-construction phases, and groundbreaking for the new bridge is expected to occur in the coming months. The MDTA is working day and night to expedite the delivery of a new Bridge and acknowledges the impact the loss of the Key Bridge has had on the Baltimore region – from longer commute times to financial strain on businesses in our State. The MDTA and the Maryland Department of Transportation remain committed to mitigating the impacts of the loss of the bridge throughout the rebuild process. This includes providing travelers with the best, real-time information possible, adjusting transport operations and providing new travel options — all with an eye towards reducing congestion and impacts to our local communities.

The MDTA remains committed to safety, transparency and public communication throughout the Key Bridge Rebuild. For the latest project information and to receive project updates through email alerts: 

• Visit: www.KeyBridgeRebuild.com 

• Follow: Key Bridge Rebuild on Facebook

• Email: [email protected]