BALTIMORE — The completion of the Francis Scott Key Bridge rebuild has already been pushed back, with the cost needed for repairs more than doubling initial estimates, according to the Maryland Transportation Authority.
The MDTA stated that the costs to repair the bridge has risen to around $4.3 to $5.2 billion, with an anticipated open-to-traffic date in late 2030.
Initially, the bridge was expected to reopen in 2028, with the state of Maryland requesting $1.9 billion from the federal government to help with repairs.
But according to Acting Transportation Secretary and MDTA Chair Samantha J. Biddle, "The updated cost range and schedule are directly correlated to increased material costs and to a robust pier protection system designed to protect the new Key Bridge and reduce the likelihood of a future ship strike to the bridge's foundational piers."
Watch related: Owner of ship that caused Key Bridge collapse to pay $100M settlement to US
"The new Francis Scott Key Bridge isn't just a local infrastructure project - it's vital to our nation's economy and will connect the Baltimore region to economies throughout the United States and the world. Although rebuilding will take longer than initially forecasted and cost more, we remain committed to rebuilding as safely, quickly and cost effectively as possible," Biddle said.
Officials say national economic conditions were also a factor in the changes to the rebuild costs and timeline, adding that the initial estimates were released less than two weeks after the Key Bridge fell.
According to the Federal Highway Administration, which is noted in a release sent by the MDTA, highway construction costs have increased 72% in the last five years, which also led to an uncertain construction and bonding market across nationwide.
Pre-construction activities, updated data points, and advanced design — which were not made available just days after the tragedy — are now being used to determine an appropriate estimated cost and schedule for the Key Bridge project, per officials.
Watch: Baltimore Key Bridge collapses in March 2026
Officials added that once negotiations are finished with Kiewit, the design builder for the bridge, the MDTA believes the final costs will reflect what the estimates project currently.
Maryland is also still in a legal battle with the owners and managers of the DALI ship to recover costs to help rebuild the Key Bridge.
A lawsuit filed in August alleged that the ships collision with the bridge was caused by the owners negligence, stating that a "defective design" is what led to the loss of power on the ship.
The MDTA expressed that the suit is an effort to also minimize the burden on federal taxpayers.
If the lawsuit goes in favor of the state of Maryland, any funds recovered will "be used upon receipt to reduce liability on the bridge's reconstruction from the emergency fund."
The National Transportation Board of Safety is expected to release its marine investigative report into the Key Bridge collapse on Tuesday.
READ MORE: More details on Key Bridge crash and collapse to be released in November
A full statement from Governor Wes Moore can be read below:
“The Francis Scott Key Bridge and the Port of Baltimore are critically important to our nation’s economy. Preliminary cost and project time estimates were made less than two weeks after the initial crash and before any engineering or design studies were conducted. Since then, national economic conditions have deteriorated and material costs have increased. At the same time, elevated costs have resulted from federal design and resilience standards — not discretionary state choices.
“Just as families across the country are dealing with the reality of increased costs, so is Maryland. Trade policies out of Washington, D.C. have raised prices on everything — including essential materials we need in order to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Still, despite this new economic reality, our resolve is unwavering.
“We remain committed to rebuilding as safely, quickly, and efficiently as possible. And we continue to move forward in our efforts to pursue litigation against those responsible, so taxpayers aren’t on the hook. While the timeline has shifted and is not what we initially hoped for, I have full confidence in our team. They are working diligently to deliver a new gateway to the global economy that will endure for generations to come.
“As this process moves forward, my administration will provide the best, real-time travel information available to commuters and reduce roadway congestion. We will continue to work with the Trump Administration to find ways to reduce costs and rebuild faster. And we will keep Marylanders continuously apprised of construction progress.
“By working together, Maryland will stay the course as we honor our pledge to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge.”
