Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, speaking at a press briefing in Washington, discussed the recent collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. He noted that the bridge was not designed to withstand a direct impact from a large freighter, like the one that struck it earlier in the week. The collision caused a key structural component of the bridge to collapse, leading to the closure of the city’s port. Six highway maintenance workers who were on the bridge at the time are presumed to have died in the accident.
Buttigieg stated that state and federal authorities are working to clear the debris and move the container ship, named the Dali, out of the way so that ships can resume travel in and out of Baltimore. However, he did not provide a timeline for when the port might reopen. Officials are also investigating the collapse of the bridge to understand why it failed and to assess the condition of the remaining sections. Plans will then be made to replace the structure, a process that Buttigieg acknowledged would be lengthy and costly. He anticipated that President Joe Biden would seek financial support from Congress to fund the rebuilding effort.
A historical example of a similar incident was provided, referring to a bridge collapse in Tampa Bay in 1980 that was caused by a freighter strike. The subsequent replacement bridge, the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, incorporated large concrete pilings in the water surrounding the structural pylons. However, Buttigieg emphasized that it is unclear whether such design features would protect bridges from modern freighters, particularly the large “NeoPanamax” vessels that are now in use. These ships, which are comparable in size to Nimitz class U.S. aircraft carriers, pose unique challenges in terms of bridge safety.
The urgency of reopening the port was highlighted by Buttigieg, who noted that it handles significant amounts of cargo and generates substantial wages for workers each day. He emphasized the importance of ensuring that goods can continue to move through the port efficiently in order to support the livelihoods of longshore workers. While the process of rebuilding the bridge will be complex, Buttigieg stressed the need to learn from the investigation conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board in order to prevent similar incidents in the future. The discussion raised questions about the ability of existing bridge designs to withstand the forces exerted by modern freighters, prompting a broader conversation about infrastructure safety and resilience.
