On Tuesday, Mar. 26, around 1:30 am, a container ship experiencing power problems collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge, ultimately leading to the bridge's collapse. Six workers were presumed to have passed away. President Biden believes the federal government should shoulder the financial burden of the bridge's reconstruction.
(Photo : Epa Image/JIM LO SCALZO)
Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse
Construction began in the 1970s on the bridge, which spans 1.6 miles across the Patapsco River and is located in the Port of Baltimore. The bridge is named after Francis Scott Key, the author of The Star-Spangled Banner. A report from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency stated that the collapse occurred after the cargo vessel flying the flag of Singapore lost power and collided with a supporting tower of the bridge.
During a press conference, officials emphasized that the crew had issued a mayday before the crash, enabling them to initiate stopping traffic on the bridge. Wes Moore, the governor of Maryland, pointed out that the decision to stop traffic saved lives yesterday night. However, officials did not provide any information regarding the number of vehicles on the bridge at the time of the collapse.
According to Alejandro Mayorkas, the Department of Homeland Security Secretary, the United States Coast Guard is currently present at the location and is working in coordination with state and local partners to conduct search and rescue efforts. In his statement, Mayorkas noted that there was no indication that the act was intentional. As he mentioned, the department was analyzing the effects of the situation on the Port of Baltimore.
Moreover, Jeff Pritzker, executive vice president of Brawner Builders, said that six workers were assumed to have died as a result of the horrific collapse. It was declared on Tuesday night by Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath that the search and rescue operations of the Coast Guard will be put on hold. Thus, authorities announced during a press conference in the middle of the morning that they had successfully recovered two individuals.
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Reconstruction of Francis Scott Key Bridge
From New York to Washington, travelers who wished to bypass downtown Baltimore utilized the Francis Scott Key Bridge as a primary thoroughfare. With a traffic flow of 31,000 autos per day or 11.3 million vehicles annually, it was one of the three possibilities for traversing the Baltimore Harbor.
The port workers make approximately $2 million in pay daily. Even though there will be some repercussions from the diversion of automobile traffic, the Port of Baltimore will experience a more significant economic impact, at least in the coming months. There will be a negative influence on employment opportunities if ships cannot enter and exit the area.
On the other hand, after describing the crash as a terrible accident, President Biden was questioned about the rationale behind the federal government bearing the financial burden of the incident, given that the ship and its operator could have been at fault. As President Biden stated, the federal government will cover the bill for the reconstruction and opening of the bridge.
In most cases, the funding for large-scale infrastructure projects comes from cooperation between the federal and state governments. Biden also promised to visit Baltimore as soon as possible.
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