Posted on June 27, 2025
BALTIMORE, MD — The next step in the rebuilding of the Francis Scott Key Bridge will begin about July 7 when demolition of the structure’s remnants begins, the Maryland Transportation Authority said Thursday.
On March 26, 2024, the cargo ship Dali lost power and struck a bridge support, bring the span down. The collapse killed six highway workers who were on the bridge at the time of the crash.
The workers killed were: José Mynor López, Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, Maynor Yasir Suazo-Sandoval, Carlos Daniel Hernandez Estrella, and Miguel Angel Luna Gonzalez.
The group of workers hailed from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.
According to a preliminary report released by the National Transportation Safety Board, the Dali suffered two electrical blackouts that led to major equipment failure hours before it struck the bridge. Officials wrote that the Dali had experienced electrical problems the day before the collision. In the hours before the ship left the Port of Baltimore on a voyage to Sri Lanka, the ship lost power twice, causing the vessel to lose propulsion and the ability to steer.
Demolition work is expected to take several months to complete, and will involve the use of heavy machinery to dismantle the remaining portions of the bridge, an MDTA news release said. The process will begin with removal of bridge deck over the river, followed by demolition of sections over Hawkins Point and then Sollers Point that interfere with the alignment of the new bridge.
Controlled detonations will not be used during this phase of demolition.
Here is what the MDTA says to expect as the bridge remnants are removed:
General Demolition Sequence
- Removal of deck, barriers and parapets over the river from both Hawkins Point and Sollers Point.
- Removal of deck, barriers, parapets, girders and piers on the landside approaches, down to just below ground level, from both Hawkins Point and Sollers Point.
- Removal of the original north and south abutments.
What Nearby Communities Should Expect
- Active tug and barge operations on the river, with heavy equipment and trucks visible on the existing bridge structure.
- Barges will serve as protective shielding during demolition and must be avoided by waterway users.
- Machinery may include excavators, concrete saws, vacuums, cranes and trucks.
- An on-site concrete crusher will recycle materials for haul roads and staging areas, reducing truck trips and cost.
- Noise typical of large construction projects from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Buoys will mark a safety zone, no entry area around active work areas.
As pre-construction activity increases this summer, MDTA remains committed to engaging with stakeholders, local communities and waterway users to ensure safety, transparency and minimal disruption. Ongoing outreach efforts include, but are not limited to:
- Noise and Vibration Monitoring: Equipment is being installed in nearby communities to capture baseline noise and vibration data before the start of demolition and upcoming construction activities.
- Waterway Safety Notices: Notices will be issued to designate speed restrictions and safety zones to ensure the safe passage of vessels near the construction area.
Permit Modifications Support Next Phase of Construction
Based on months of field investigations and engineering analysis, the bridge alignment is slightly east or downriver of the original structure, remaining entirely within MDTA’s existing right-of-way.
To proceed with construction, the MDTA is requesting modifications to permits that have been issued by the Maryland Board of Public Works, Maryland Department of the Environment, US Army Corps of Engineers and the US Coast Guard in support of the Key Bridge Rebuild.
The permit modification requests will reflect:
- Updates to bridge pier foundation design and pier protection elements.
- Adjusted trestle configuration.
- A decrease in authorized impacts to tidal waters, with some additional impacts to non-tidal wetlands and waterways.
A reevaluation of the project’s Categorical Exclusion will also be submitted to the Federal Highway Administration. No significant increase in environmental impacts is expected, the MDTA said.
Additional Summer Activities on the Patapsco River
Visible activity will increase on the Patapsco River this summer. Schedules are still being refined, but MDTA will provide advanced public notice two weeks before major activities begin.
- Test Pile Driving: Mobilization of marine equipment, the pile test frame and driving of test pile is scheduled to begin this summer and continue through the fall.
- Geotechnical Exploration: Drilling and sampling will continue this summer both on the land and water to support detailed design.
Recent Progress: Pre-Construction Activities
Over the past several months, the MDTA has been actively conducting vital pre-construction work to support the safe and efficient rebuilding of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The pre-construction work, which began in January 2025, provides critical data to better inform and further the design process including:
- Geotechnical investigations: Extensive water-based borings of the Patapsco riverbed and land-based boring along the bridge alignment to assess soil conditions.
- Survey and mapping: Collection of topographic data, right-of-way boundaries and subsurface utility mapping to support detailed construction planning.
- Wind tunnel testing: Simulations conducted to study the bridge’s response to a variety of wind loads.
- Scour testing: Modeling of how water moves around the bridge’s foundation and piles to understand impacts on the riverbed and ensure structural stability.
- Test pile fabrication: Ongoing fabrication of test piles and load test frames for the upcoming pile load test program to support the design of the main span bridge.
- Property inspections: Completed 1,121 property inspections and documentation to establish baseline conditions ahead of major construction activities.
