Trucking news and briefs for Tuesday, April 9, 2024:
USACE Chief of Engineers Lt. Gen. Scott Spellmon views damage of the fallen Francis Scott Key Bridge that collapsed in Baltimore.U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo by Maj. Spencer Garrison
The channel leading to and from the Port of Baltimore that’s been blocked since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed when it was struck by a large container ship now has a tentative timeline for reopening.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District is working with local, state and federal partners to clear the wreckage along the Fort McHenry Channel and has announced it expects to open a temporary, limited-access channel by the end of April, with the goal of reopening the permanent channel by the end of May.
“Thanks to the exhaustive work of the Unified Command during the last two weeks, including underwater surveys and detailed structural analysis of the wreckage, we’ve developed a better understanding of the immense and complex work that lies ahead,” said Lt. Gen. Scott A. Spellmon, USACE commanding general. “A fully opened federal channel remains our primary goal, and we will carry out this work with care and precision, with safety as our chief priority.”
[Related: Baltimore bridge collapse a 'logistical hassle,' long-term effects unlikely]
