ANNAPOLIS, MD — Governor Wes Moore today released the following statement regarding U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy’s letter on the Francis Scott Key Bridge rebuild:
“On the early morning of March 26, 2024, the Francis Scott Key Bridge crumbled into the Patapsco River after an unseaworthy ship—the size of three football fields—crashed into it. The tragedy resulted in the death of six Marylanders and threatened not only to cripple our state’s economy, but deeply impact the lives and livelihoods of the millions of Americans across the country whose prosperity depends on a fully functional bridge.
“We moved with speed and efficiency to secure expedited permitting to begin the rebuild immediately, clearing the channel to the Port of Baltimore in 11 weeks when some experts said it would take 11 months. Since then, we have worked expeditiously to promote full restoration of the bridge as a critical asset to our nation’s economy. Today, the project continues in the design phase, with demolition and pre-construction underway in parallel.
“We must keep in perspective that 13% of our state’s economy hangs in the balance and that the goods that flow through the Port don't just touch Marylanders—they reach the farmer in Kentucky, the auto worker in Michigan, and the restaurant owner in Tennessee. The Port of Baltimore handles more cars and more farm equipment than any other port in the country. The Port is also ranked second for salt and exported coal and is among the top ten ports nationally for total cargo.
“We will continue to work with the Trump Administration to find ways to reduce costs and rebuild faster. We anticipate the price estimation process to be finalized in the coming months and we will provide regular updates from the Maryland Department of Transportation about the project’s status. In the meantime, we will continue to pursue litigation and make substantial financial contributions by way of advance construction costs and insurance settlement dollars to keep the project moving.
“The safety of the bridge and the sound stewardship of taxpayer dollars remain our top priority as we work to fully restore economic vitality—not only to the Port of Baltimore and the State of Maryland, but for the people across the country.”
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