Early Tuesday morning, a cargo ship crashed into Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing it to collapse into the Patapsco River. Eight workers were on the bridge at the time, with two rescued and six missing and presumed dead. Search and rescue efforts were suspended, but recovery efforts would resume in the morning. President Biden vowed to quickly rebuild the bridge and resume operations at the Port of Baltimore. The cargo ship, the Dali, under a Singaporean flag, lost power and crashed into a pillar that stabilized the bridge. The ship, as long as three football fields, lost propulsion before the crash, unable to maintain its heading.
The economic impact of the bridge collapse could cause significant disruption and affect the livelihoods of the 15,000 people who depend on the port. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg stated that the collapse would impact supply chains and lead to commuter headaches. President Biden confirmed that the federal government would cover the cost of rebuilding the bridge and provide necessary resources to respond to the emergency. Baltimore is a major port for handling automobiles and light trucks in the U.S., and the bridge collapse could disrupt the industry, potentially affecting nearly 140,000 jobs linked to port activities.
Traffic on the affected route toward the Francis Scott Key Bridge was diverted, with I-695 closed at various exits. Commuters were advised to use alternative routes such as I-95 and I-895. The closure of the bridge is expected to cause traffic delays for weeks, if not months, while officials work to address the loss of a major commuter artery. Cruise ships that dock in Baltimore will also be diverted to alternative ports due to the bridge collapse. Carnival Cruise Line announced a temporary relocation of its Baltimore operations to Norfolk, VA, affecting scheduled voyages.
The National Transportation Safety Board will conduct a full investigation into the cause of the bridge collapse, providing more clarity on the incident. It remains uncertain how long it will take to clear the wreckage, begin construction on a new bridge, and resume full operations at the port. In a similar incident in 2007, the I-35W Mississippi River Bridge collapse in Minneapolis took a year to replace at a cost of $234 million. The timeline for reconstruction and restoration of traffic patterns to normal remains unknown following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
