Current:Home > NewsBaltimore channel fully reopened for transit over 2 months after Key Bridge collapse-InfoLens
Baltimore channel fully reopened for transit over 2 months after Key Bridge collapse
View Date:2024-12-23 15:28:53
The Fort McHenry Federal Channel was restored to its original operational depth nearly three months after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse.
The channel was restored to its original dimensions of 700 feet wide and 50 feet deep after 50,000 tons of bridge wreckage was removed from the Patapsco River, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) announced Monday evening.
“We are proud of the unified efforts that fully reopened the Federal Channel to port operations,” Lt. Gen. Scott Spellmon, commanding general of USACE, said in a statement. “The partnerships that endured through this response made this pivotal mission successful.”
The Key Bridge Response 2024 Unified Command has worked to remove the destroyed Baltimore Bridge since the collapse occurred on March 26, when it was hit by the M/V Dali, killing six construction workers.
“Although the overarching goal to restore full operational capacity to the Federal Channel was successful, each day, we thought of those who lost their lives, their families, and the workers impacted by this tragic event,” Col. Estee Pinchasin, Baltimore District commander, said. “Not a day went by that we didn’t think about all of them, and that kept us going.”
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, a part of the Unified Command, and the U.S. Navy Supervisor of Salvage and Diving worked to clear the wreckage from the Federal Channel and move the M/V Dali since the collapse occurred. On Monday, the Unified Command certified that its riverbed was safe for transit, states the press release.
"Surveying and removal of steel at and below the 50-foot mud-line will continue to ensure future dredging operations are not impacted," said the statement.
What happened to the Francis Scott Key Bridge?
On March 26, early in the morning, the M/V Dali struck the bridge, which left it in ruins. Video footage captured the container ship hitting the Key Bridge after appearing to lose power two times.
The incident killed six construction workers who were on the bridge fixing potholes.
On May 7, more than a month after the collapse, the final victim was recovered from the river according to police.
What happened to the M/V Dali?
USACE moved the 984-foot container ship that struck the bridge from its original location, where it remained for nearly two months, to a local marina.
Who is part of the Key Bridge Response 2024 Unified Command?
According to its website, the following agencies make up the Unified Command:
- Maryland Department of the Environment
- Maryland State Police
- Maryland Transportation Authority
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- U.S. Coast Guard
- Witt O’Brien’s representing Synergy Marine
Contributing: Anthony Robledo and Emily Le Coz, USA TODAY; and Reuters.
Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. She has covered various topics, from local businesses and government in her hometown, Miami, to tech and pop culture. You can connect with her on LinkedIn or follow her on X, formerly Twitter, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz
veryGood! (21256)
Related
- A $1 billion proposal is the latest plan to refurbish and save the iconic Houston Astrodome
- Outdoor Workers Could Face Far More Dangerous Heat By 2065 Because Of Climate Change
- Kelly Clarkson Seemingly Shades Ex Brandon Blackstock in New Song Teaser
- The Masked Singer: Heavy Metal Legend Gets Unmasked as The Doll
- Colorado police shot, kill mountain lion after animal roamed on school's campus
- Cutting climate programs may be harder than other things as Biden trims his bill
- Responders Are Gaining On The Caldor Fire, But Now They've Got New Blazes To Battle
- No direct evidence COVID began in Wuhan lab, US intelligence report says
- Tech consultant testifies that ‘bad joke’ led to deadly clash with Cash App founder Bob Lee
- Get the Details Behind a Ted Lasso Star's Next Big TV Role
Ranking
- Women suing over Idaho’s abortion ban describe dangerous pregnancies, becoming ‘medical refugees’
- The Wire Star Lance Reddick's Cause of Death Revealed
- Nearly 2 In 3 Americans Are Dealing With Dangerous Heat Waves
- California's Dixie Fire Is Now The 2nd Largest In State History
- Barbora Krejcikova calls out 'unprofessional' remarks about her appearance
- The Great California Groundwater Grab
- All the Shopbop Spring Looks Our Shopping Editors Would Buy With $100
- Drugs rain down on countryside after French fighter jet intercepts tourist plane
Recommendation
-
Democrat George Whitesides wins election to US House, beating incumbent Mike Garcia
-
Shop the Best Personalized Jewelry for Mother's Day
-
Secretary of State Antony Blinken says we haven't seen the last act in Russia's Wagner rebellion
-
When A Drought Boils Over
-
Why the US celebrates Veterans Day and how the holiday has changed over time
-
84-Degree Ocean Waters Will Turn Sam Into A Major Hurricane On Saturday
-
A Single Fire Killed Thousands Of Sequoias. Scientists Are Racing To Save The Rest
-
California Wildfires Make A Run Toward A Giant Sequoia Grove