In March 2024, the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, collapsed after a collision with the cargo ship Dali in the middle of the night. Although six months have passed, the aftermath of the disaster continues to resonate across society through supply chain implications, job markets and inconveniences in everyday life.
The bridge, located at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, blocked ships from exiting and entering the Port of Baltimore for nearly two months as debris scattered across the waters of the Potomac River. After more than $100 million in cleanup efforts, workers finally cleared the Fort McHenry Federal Channel on June 12, 2024.
Even though the Port of Baltimore has been operational for several months, the supply chain has continued to feel the effects. The bridge was a part of I-695, a crucial Interstate Highway that acts as a beltway around Baltimore. Its collapse resulted in the loss of a portion of the highway, further hindering the supply chain. Since the bridge contributed to more efficient truck transportation, its collapse forced truckers to find alternative, less efficient routes. Likewise, without this route, other parts of Maryland’s road systems have become more congested, as there are fewer route options for people to choose from.
“Nearly 4,900 trucks travel the bridge each day, with $28 billion in goods crossing every year,” Sean McNally, Vice President of public affairs and press secretary for the American Trucking Associations, said. “Trucks moving hazardous materials will now be subject to roughly 30 miles of detours around the City of Baltimore because they are prohibited from using the city’s tunnels.”
Beyond the trucking industry, the closure of the shipping channel cost $191 million a day in lost economic activity, according to Scott Cowan, President of the International Longshoremen’s Association Local 333 in Baltimore. With Maryland’s economy already being stagnant, this tragedy worsened the state’s budgetary challenges.
The collapse of the Key Bridge also had a tremendous impact on jobs. With the port closed, countless dockworkers at the Port of Baltimore lost wages from being unable to work. Most of the dockworkers, whose jobs rely on loading and unloading, faced nearly three months without pay as the port remained idle, leaving workers struggling financially.
Even for everyday residents, sometimes traveling requires utilizing the Key Bridge. Without such a path, some people have been forced to adapt to different routes to work, school, and other destinations, increasing travel time permanently. Since many people have had to find new routes, traffic congestion in other routes become even more severe, slowing down transportation for everyone.
In addition to transportation hindrances, the hundreds of millions of dollars spent on rebuilding the Key Bridge and repairing the excess wear on roadways that have to absorb all the traffic that would have been crossing may contribute to increased taxes. To help alleviate these unwanted tax increases, the United States Justice Department filed a lawsuit on September 18, 2024, against the ship’s owner, Grace Ocean Ltd., and its operator, Synergy Marine Group for $100 million.
“We will not allow Marylanders to be left with the bill for the gross negligence, mismanagement and incompetence that caused this harm,” Maryland’s attorney general, Anthony G. Brown, said.
Although the waterways have long been cleared up for boats to pass through, the absence of the bridge presents long-term issues. The project to rebuild the Key Bridge is expected to be completed by Fall 2028, a significant time from now. Many problems caused by a lack of a bridge will persist for the foreseeable future. While the immediate effects may appear to have faded, the lasting ripple effects will continue to linger for the foreseeable future.
