On Sunday, Maryland Governor Wes Moore announced that the port of Baltimore will be reopened by the end of May, less than three months after the Francis Scott Key bridge collapse.
The bridge collapsed on March 27, killing six construction workers who were fixing roads and blocking all sea lane access to the Port of Baltimore, one of the East Coast's biggest freight seaports.
The federal government has already approved $60 million in relief funding for the catastrophe response effort, and hundreds of millions more are expected to be required before the project is finished.
Baltimore Port to Reopen by End of May
On CBS's 'Face the Nation,' the governor said that first responders, recovery diving teams, and wreckage removal teams could work together "24/7" to accomplish President Joe Biden's goal of finishing the work necessary to reopen both the federal and state shipping channels by the end of May.
He said that the goal of having the Port of Baltimore fully reopen by the end of May is realistic. He ensured that they did everything in their power to make sure they would bring closure and comfort to the families, to be able to reopen this channel, to support their affected workers and families, and to start the process of rebuilding the bridge.
Gov. Moore added that it is an aggressive timeline, but they will work around the clock to ensure they hit it. He noted that salvage teams have cleared hundreds of tons of steel and concrete from the Patapsco River.
The White House announced this week that the US Army Corps of Engineers tentatively expects to open a limited access channel for some vessels that move automobiles and farm equipment by the end of April. The statement said laborers should be ready to restore the port to normal by the end of May.
Gov. Moore has updated Marylanders about the collapse through press conferences almost daily. Just before the devastation happened, law enforcement officers were able to stop traffic on both sides of the bridge, but six construction workers who were, in the words of local officials, "filling potholes" could not be evacuated in time.
Furthermore, the bodies of three deceased workers have been found in the waters, and the search continues for the bodies of the remaining workers.
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Biden Vows Support Over Port's Construction
President Biden committed to supporting the country during his Friday visit to the collapse scene, telling Gov. Moore that he expects Congress to help them and approve funding for the reconstruction effort.
"We're going to move heaven and earth to rebuild this bridge as rapidly as humanly possible," the president said. "We will do so with union labor and American steel." My vow is: We will not rest...until the cement has dried and the entirety of a new bridge, a new bridge, [is built]."
The famous bridge's collapse stunned Maryland and seriously threatened Baltimore's economy, which is heavily dependent on the port. Smaller ships can currently pass through the collapse scene through a narrow channel, but larger container ships like the one that struck a crucial support beam and destroyed the bridge cannot reach the port.
The timeline for the construction of a new bridge remains unknown. Although it took five years to create the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which opened in 1977, experts warned that future construction projects might require less time.
Related Article : Third Key Bridge Collapse Victim Recovered, Identified
