US$1.7 billion Francis Scott Key Bridge replacement design

The design concept for the replacement Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore has been revealed by officials in the US state of Maryland, with the project expected to cost US$1.7 billion. Maryland governor Wes Moore stated that the new design will be the state’s first highway cable-stayed bridge, constructed according to the most advanced industry standards and best infrastructure design practices.

Spanning the Patapsco River, the new bridge will replace the previous structure, which collapsed after being hit by a cargo vessel in March 2024. Although bridge officials managed to stop traffic before the ship impacted with the structure, six construction personnel carrying out road surface maintenance work were unable to escape and were killed.

Although the old bridge had passed safety checks it had been completed in the 1970s and its design did not provide protection against impacts by the large vessels now in use.

The new bridge will feature two lanes in either direction, with shoulders and will be over 3.2km in length. It will allow a minimum clearance of over 70m between the deck and the water in the channel. The support towers will be 183m-high while the distance between the main-span pylons will be 488m and the total length of the cable-stayed main span will exceed 1km. 

The new bridge will have an expected life span of 100 years and will be designed with protection around its supports to ensure that it will not be damaged in the event of a collision by a vessel. The project is being overseen by the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA).

The wreckage of the old bridge was removed from the busy waterway within 11 weeks after the collision, clearing the channel and reopening the Port of Baltimore.

The MDTA has shared a digital rendering of the design for the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The new design has been developed jointly between MTDA and Kiewit Construction. Preparatory work for the new bridge has already commenced and the structure is expected to be complete by 2028.