34,000 vehicles were crossing the Key Bridge on the I-695 Baltimore Beltway every day, until THE collision. This included 3,000 trucks, many of them hazmats that are barred from using the nearby Harbor Tunnels.
A mass of interstate traffic flowed from Boston, New York and Philly to DC, Richmond and beyond across this span. But today it is a 4 lane road to nowhere that is being demolished so it can be rebuilt as a better bridge to carry over 11 million vehicles annually.
Most of the folks on the planet have seen the video of the Dali crashing into and destroying the Key Bridge on March 26, 2024.
It was devastating news locally and was captured on the live stream camera of the Baltimore & Chesapeake Bay Ship Watchers Group which is run by my friend Mike Singer, who gave a lot of TV interviews after his video went viral. I had seen the bridge from Pier 13 just the day before while I was attending a meeting on the historic NS Savannah.
None of us could believe the news. I was down there about a week later and it was just surreal how quiet the Port was, with the total lack of ship and truck traffic. There was almost no business going on anywhere in that area with the channel blocked off.
President Biden immediately pledged the full support of the Federal Government and he got vocal support from across the political spectrum, including Mitch McConnell and Ted Cruz. The President signed the funding bill in December 2024.
The cooperation and collaboration of Government at all levels and of many Federal, State and local agencies has been exemplary. Until this past week when President Trump said he had to “rethink” the funding and threatened to stop the rebuilding process. Not because a mistake was made and the bridge isn’t needed…but because he wants to use it as some kind of bargaining chip in dealing with Gov. Moore, Maryland and Baltimore.
Trump said that “he gave a lot of money” to this project. He hasn’t given anything and was not a part of the process to approve and fund this important infrastructure project. This issue has gotten a lot of attention locally, but not so much nationally because of the stream of “news conferences” and Executive Orders coming out of the Oval Office about troops in Chicago and much more in recent days.
This is not just a Baltimore issue, it’s much bigger. For example the 3,000 hazmat trucks now diverting all the way around the beltway every day are using far more fuel and time to complete their deliveries, raising prices and pollution…commute times have gone way up for many local residents…and the traffic in the tunnels is much heavier and slower for everyone.
The bridge rebuild is not part of a poker game or a political football. This is a major infrastructure issue and the project is underway. I’m asking all of you to please be aware of this and ask your representatives to not allow the President to defund the new Key Bridge.
I was recording Mike Singer and Kipp Snow on Pier 13 for their Baltimore & Chesapeake Bat Ship Watchers YouTube podcast the day the Dali was towed out of Baltimore.
They have done a lot of reporting on the Key Bridge and the rebuild. I hope they can continue reporting on the progress, because we need our bridge back.
Gov. Moore is not being shy in his communications to Trump. You're right, if Trump keeps on pushing revoking the funding, Transportation and Commerce both need to hear from us.
Why isn't the Department of Transportation (not to mention the Dept. of Commerce) speaking up about his interference in interstate commerce? Your point about how much money the forced use of the Beltway causes is a very valid one. There's never been such a lack of accountability, as well as such vindictiveness, in this country. More people need to speak up against him the way JB has. I have great faith in Wes Moore to do the same.