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Bettesworth Construction
Baltimore

Why the New Baltimore Key Bridge Will Be Higher and Wider for Ships

The replacement Baltimore bridge is planned with 230 feet of clearance above the federal channel, a longer main span and protected pylons. Here’s how the design works and what construction updates show.

By Bettesworth Construction Team 4 min read
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The replacement for Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge is planned with at least 230 feet of vertical clearance above the federal navigation channel—45 feet more than the former bridge’s 185 feet. Its 1,665-foot main span, together with vessel-collision protection at the main pylons, is intended to give larger ships room to pass while reducing the risk to critical bridge supports. These measures address different hazards; the bridge design does not mean the channel itself is being widened or deepened.

What “higher” and “larger” mean for the shipping channel

Bridge clearance is the vertical distance between the water and the underside of the bridge over the navigation channel. The planned minimum is 230 feet, compared with 185 feet for the former bridge, according to Maryland project materials. The additional height is intended to accommodate the trend toward larger vessels and cargo ships. It is clearance beneath the bridge—not a change to the channel’s width or depth.

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The replacement is planned as a cable-stayed bridge. MDTA’s procurement materials specify a 1,665-foot main span, the distance between the main pylons. The October 2026 project announcement describes the overall bridge as more than two miles long and says the main-span pylons will be more than 1,600 feet apart. These are different measurements: the main span is only part of the bridge’s total length.

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MDTA said in July 2026 that the two concrete pylons are planned to reach 602 feet in elevation. That height describes the towers, not the clearance available to ships beneath the deck.

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How the design addresses ship traffic and collision risk

Vertical clearance and pier spacing solve separate problems. The higher deck provides more room for vessels to pass beneath it. The longer main span increases separation between the principal bridge supports and the federal navigation channel. A vessel-collision protection system is also planned at the main pylon piers.

Maryland’s project FAQ says pier protection is based on current AASHTO specifications and modern vessel-collision practices. The measures are complementary: a taller bridge alone cannot prevent a ship from striking a support, and the protection system does not create additional vertical clearance. The official materials describe a design intended to reduce risks, not a guarantee that the channel can never be obstructed.

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Former bridge and replacement design

Feature Former Francis Scott Key Bridge Planned replacement
Vertical clearance over the federal navigation channel 185 feet, according to the Maryland Department of the Environment’s 2024 project decision document. At least 230 feet, according to MDTA’s 2026 project materials.
Main span Not stated in the cited project materials. 1,665 feet, per MDTA’s 2026 procurement materials.
Ship-strike protection Not stated in the cited project materials. Vessel-collision protection system planned at the main pylon piers, per MDTA’s procurement materials.

Why the replacement matters to road and freight traffic

The former bridge carried approximately 33,200 vehicles per day on average in 2022, according to the Maryland Department of the Environment’s decision document. It also provided a route for over-height and hazardous-material loads that are barred from the I-95 and I-895 harbor tunnels. After the collapse, those loads had to use less direct alternatives, including a western I-695 route that added approximately 25 miles.

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The same state decision document cites a Maryland Chamber of Commerce estimate that the Port of Baltimore faced an economic cost of approximately $15 million per day. That figure is the Chamber’s estimate, as relayed in the state document; it is not a state measurement.

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Construction progress and contracts

As of October 1, 2026, the Governor’s Office reported permanent supports at 55% completion for the south tower and 26% for the north tower, with temporary platforms 99% complete. These are progress figures attributed to the state’s dashboard announcement and are dated snapshots, not a prediction of when the bridge will open.

The work is divided across four procurements, announced by MDTA on May 19, 2026:

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  • Remaining over-water demolition and marine work.
  • The south land approach.
  • The north land approach.
  • The main span, pier protection and marine approaches.

On July 21, 2026, MDTA released a request for qualifications for the main-span and marine-approaches contract, advancing the largest contract through a two-step competitive design-build procurement. Its scope includes the main-span work and pier protection; the announcement did not replace the total-project cost estimate with a final contract price.

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What the current cost and schedule estimates say

MDTA’s November 17, 2025 update put the estimated project cost at $4.3–$5.2 billion and anticipated opening to traffic in late 2030. Those are dated forecasts, not a final price or guaranteed opening date. MDTA attributed the revised estimate and schedule to design maturity, increased material costs and the robust pier-protection system. Later procurement announcements describe how work is being contracted, but do not establish a new final total-project price.

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