The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers unveiled on Thursday a proposed schedule to reopen the Fort McHenry Channel for the Port of Baltimore by the end of next month. This plan aims to alleviate the economic repercussions of the recent Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, which took place last week.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has outlined a plan to initiate a limited access channel, measuring 280 feet wide and 35 feet deep, to serve the Port of Baltimore within the next four weeks. This interim measure is designed to alleviate disruptions caused by the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Additionally, the Corps aims to fully reopen the permanent Fort McHenry channel by late May, as confirmed by port authorities. This timeline underscores efforts to swiftly restore critical transportation infrastructure and mitigate economic impacts stemming from the bridge incident.The reopening of the channel could restore port access to normal capacity, the Corps said in its statement.Lt. Gen. Scott A. Spellmon said in the statement the “ambitious timelines” could be impacted by “significant adverse weather conditions or changes in the complexity of the wreckage.”
The timeline comes after more than 500 local businesses affected by the collapse of the bridge applied for long-term, low-interest loans to help cover expenses and continue operations until the port reopens. The tragic bridge collapse occurred early last week following a collision between a cargo ship and one of the bridge’s support columns. This collision resulted in the ship becoming trapped beneath several beams, with reports indicating a presumed loss of life for six construction workers who were on the bridge during its rapid collapse. Maryland Governor Wes Moore revealed that the ship’s crew issued a distress call, or “mayday” alert, after encountering a power issue that prevented it from avoiding the bridge. Efforts are underway to transfer containers from the ship’s bow to a nearby logistics center, as reported by the Baltimore Banner, citing officials from the Unified Command.
