This article was republished with permission from WTOP’s news partners at Maryland Matters. Read the story at Maryland Matters.
The Maryland Transportation Authority this week began the formal process of finding a contractor for the next phase of the Francis Scott Key Bridge replacement, after parting ways with the phase one contractor over costs this spring.
The authority Tuesday issued a request for qualifications, or RFQ, from prospective contractors on the major part of the replacement project: construction of the main span bridge and of marine approaches of the bridge, which will straddle the shipping channel into the Port of Baltimore.
“Maryland is working expeditiously to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge and this step is the first major milestone in assembling our construction team,” said Maryland Transportation Secretary Katie Thomson, who acts as chair of the MdTA board, in a statement from the authority.
According to an MdTA news release, the request for qualifications starts a “two-step, competitive, sealed proposal process to select a design-build team for the contract.” After reviewing the RFQs, authority staff will compile a shortlist of contractors, who will be invited to submit bids in response to a request for proposals, or RFP.
Under the schedule set by the authority, the field of candidates will be winnowed to a shortlist this fall, and the winner will be selected from those bidders, and a notice to proceed, will be issued by summer 2027.
It’s a continuation of the ambitious schedule to replace the bridge, which collapsed into the Patapsco River when it was hit in the early morning hours of March 26, 2024.
The shipping channel was cleared of debris from the collapse — and the Port of Baltimore reopened to ship traffic — within weeks and demolition of the old bridge remnants began not long thereafter. During a tour of the site this week, Gov. Wes Moore (D) recommitted to finishing the project and having the bridge reopened to traffic by 2030.
In the rush to start work on the bridge, initial estimates came in around $1.7 billion. But as they studied the project, officials came to realize that was a gross underestimate. The state now believes replacement of the Key Bridge will cost between $4.3 billion and $5.2 billion, and some have suggested it could be higher than that.
Faced with the higher costs, the state dropped Kiewit Infrastructure, the company that has done the first phase of the project, completing demolition of the old bridge and driving piles for the new one. The state also decided to split the remaining tasks into separate contracts, in hopes of keeping costs contained.
Even though they have parted ways, Kiewit will continue working on site through the end of the year, as it wraps up work on the first phase of the project.
“This is a significant milestone to get the largest procurement for this project out for qualifications in just over 60 days since announcing the project will be split into four contracts,” MdTA Executive Director Bruce Gartner. “Progress continues on the rebuild with permanent piles being driven into the riverbed daily laying the foundation of the future bridge while concurrently advancing through the procurement process on these construction contracts.”
The project currently going out for RFQs will be the first, and the largest, of four remaining contracts on the bridge. MdTA also expects to issue contracts for demolition of the remaining structures over water and miscellaneous marine work; construction of the land approach to the bridge from the south; and construction of the northern land approach.
The contract that is currently being put out for RFQs will complete the new bridge’s signature span, marine approaches and systems to protect the new structure from collisions like the one that destroyed the old bridge, killing six workers in the process. The MdTA announcement said the main span bridge and marine approaches contract includes:
- construction of a cable-stayed bridge with a 1,665-foot main span and a total length of 3,365 feet, with a minimum 230-foot clearance over the federal navigation channel;
- two concrete pylons reaching an elevation of 602 feet;
- a vessel collision protection system at the main pylon piers;
- approximately 660 feet of south-approach bridge over water; and
- approximately 1,560 feet of north-approach bridge over water.
Kiewit will continue working on-site while the next contract procurement is underway. Permanent foundation piles are being installed, the MdTA said, along with the over-water work platform known as a trestle.
The authority owns and operates all of Maryland’s toll tunnels, bridges and turnpikes. For more information about the Key Bridge project, visit KeyBridgeRebuild.com.
