en.Wedoany.com Reported - Maryland transportation officials are defending the $5.2 billion estimate for rebuilding Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge, which collapsed after a cargo ship strike, but state lawmakers have expressed concerns.
According to Maryland Matters, during a recent hearing before the Maryland House Appropriations Committee and the Environment and Transportation Committee, Transportation Secretary Kathryn Thomson stated that the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) developed the estimate in collaboration with independent cost estimators and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Thomson also said the department is continuing to reassess and stress-test the figure, which remains the best estimate.
When committee members pressed on other reports—including that Kiewit Infrastructure's initial estimate had reached $9 billion, and that the company was recently rejected as the bridge reconstruction contractor—Thomson said that "would never be our number." Kiewit told Maryland Matters that the rumored $9.1 billion estimate "is not a cost number submitted by Kiewit."
The MDTA released a new price tag for replacing the Key Bridge in November, ranging from $4.3 billion to $5.2 billion. Previous preliminary reconstruction estimates were $1.7 billion to $1.9 billion, with the bridge planned to open in 2028. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy had previously pushed for rebidding the contract, citing Kiewit's project "cost inflation and schedule delays." The MDTA previously stated that Kiewit's Phase 2 proposal was "unacceptable and far exceeded the state's independent cost estimate," and Maryland Governor Wes Moore directed the MDTA to "walk away" from Kiewit and seek other contractors.
Kiewit secured a $73 million progressive design-build contract for Phase 1 of the bridge replacement in mid-2024, with exclusive bidding rights for Phase 2. Kiewit's Phase 1 work includes driving foundation piles and constructing a temporary trestle, expected to continue through the end of 2026. The MDTA recently announced a new bidding approach for the Francis Scott Key Bridge demolition and reconstruction, awarding four separate contracts instead of one: for demolition, construction of the south approach, construction of the north approach, and construction of the main span.
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