A container ship Tuesday morning slammed into Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, a major bridge just outside of Washington D.C., snapping it into pieces and plunging the wreckage and several vehicles into the Patapsco River below.
Clearance tech will be especially important for motor carriers that are regular users of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The Port of Baltimore is closed to ship traffic but the port is still processing trucks. Motor carriers have long known the risks that come with an over-height truck or a low-clearance bridge. Low-bridge collisions are not uncommon; in fact, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration considers bridge strikes a serious safety hazard.
Harbor crossing alternate routes will be Interstate 95 or I-895 tunnels, but vehicles transporting hazardous materials, including propane over 10 pounds, are prohibited in tunnels and should use the western section of I-695 around the tunnels, according to the Maryland Transportation Authority.
Vehicles in excess of 13'6" in height or 96" in width are prohibited from using the I-895 Baltimore Harbor Tunnel.
The I-695 Outer Loop is closed at MD 10 (exit 2) and Inner Loop is closed at MD 157/Peninsula Exp (exit 43). Use I-95 or I-895 alt routes.
