Baltimore Bridge Collapse

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? Baltimore shipping channel reopens

A vehicle carrier passes through a newly reopened section of Baltimore's shipping channel yesterday. Photo: Jerry Jackson/The Baltimore Sun via Getty Images The Port of Baltimore's main shipping channel fully reopened yesterday after a massive cleanup effort following the Francis Scott Key Bridge's deadly collapse, Axios' Rebecca Falconer writes. Why it matters: Traffic had been restricted at the busy port, which processes more cars than any other in the country, since a cargo ship crashed into the span 11 weeks ago. ? By the numbers: Fully restoring the channel required the removal of about 50,000 tons of steel and concrete from the Patapsco River, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said. Officials said 56 federal, state and local agencies participated in the salvage operations, including about 500 specialists from around the world who operated a fleet of 18 barges, 22 tugboats, 13 floating cranes, 10 excavators and four survey boats. Keep reading.

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New Bay Bridge crossing

An aerial view of the Bay Bridge. Photo: Kim Hairston, Baltimore Sun, Tribune News Service via Getty Images

It's prime summer traffic time over the Bay Bridge as DMV drivers head to the beach and shore — so you may be wondering what's going on with plans for a new crossing. Why it matters: A $28 million study is exploring ways to alleviate congestion along the critical Maryland route that funnels tens of thousands of cars daily — and tangible results are on the way. ? State of play: Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) has already completed phase one of the study, which explored locations for a potential new crossing. They determined it should be in the same corridor as the existing Bay Bridge due to the infrastructure that's already in place. They're in the middle of phase two, which weighs environmental impacts and a wide range of options for the crossing. Those include building a new bridge, tunnel, bridge-and-tunnel combo, or no-build alternatives like changing traffic patterns. MDTA is also exploring creating bike and/or pedestrian lanes for the future project. Sadly, there's no real plan for a train. What's next: The study is set to wrap in 2026, which will firm up a timeline and budget (somewhere in the billions). But first, MDTA will host public meetings later this summer and early fall. Memorial Day bridge traffic in 2021. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images The big picture: Baltimore's tragic Key Bridge collapse and resulting rebuild, estimated at nearly $2 billion, doesn't impact funding for the current Bay Crossing study because monies were previously allocated. But a determination will be made once the study concludes about whether MDTA will move forward with design and construction. "At that time we'll have a more solid idea of what's going on with the Key Bridge and we can make a better statement about [its impact]," says Williams, who adds the collapse "did not minimize the need" for the Bay Bridge study. Keep reading

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What's happening with the new Bay Bridge crossing

It's prime summer traffic time over the Bay Bridge as DMV drivers head to the beach and shore — so you may be wondering what's going on with plans for a new crossing.

https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2024/06/20/chesapeake-bay-bridge-tunnel-new?

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Ship owner cut corners on repairs before deadly Baltimore bridge collapse, US says in $100M lawsuit

BALTIMORE (AP) — The owner and manager of the cargo ship that caused the deadly Baltimore bridge collapse recklessly cut corners and ignored known electrical problems on the vessel, the Justice Department alleged Wednesday in a lawsuit seeking to recover more than $100 million that the government spent to clear the underwater debris and reopen the city’s port.

https://apnews.com/article/baltimore-bridge-collapse-justice-department-lawsuit-5a7b3d6a3f7ea04828bf7801df07a34e?

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Baltimore bridge collapse

 

The Justice Department is seeking more than $100 million from two corporations that owned and operated the container ship that destroyed Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge in March. According to the DOJ lawsuit, the companies' cost-cutting and negligence in the ship's maintenance led to the "entirely avoidable" disaster. Federal prosecutors say that the financial penalty would cover the costs of the government response to the fatal bridge collapse and for the monthslong effort to clear the wreckage of about 50,000 tons of steel, concrete and asphalt. The city of Baltimore has filed its own claim against the two companies, and families of three of the victims have said they intend to sue as well.

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Ship owner in Baltimore bridge collapse agrees to pay $102 million for cleanup

WASHINGTON (AP) — The owner and manager of the cargo ship that caused the deadly Baltimore bridge collapse have agreed to pay more than $102 million in cleanup costs to settle a lawsuit brought by the Justice Department, officials said Thursday.

https://apnews.com/article/baltimore-bridge-collapse-justice-department-4a3f064e4cfb433d4d142881decaaae0?

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Ship operator and employee are charged in crash that caused the deadly collapse of Baltimore bridge

BALTIMORE (AP) — Prosecutors announced criminal charges Tuesday in the deadly 2024 collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, accusing a Singapore-based ship operator of intentionally relying on an improper fuel pump that contributed to the ruinous crash and then lying about it to investigators.

https://apnews.com/article/baltimore-key-bridge-collapse-charges-dali-ship-4ac521ff538bc4f9d90ef6d2fb6d3ce2?