ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Maryland plans to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge in just over four years at an estimated cost of $1.7 billion to $1.9 billion, state transportation officials announced Thursday.
As rescue efforts continue, authorities also announced late Wednesday that they had recovered the body of a fifth person who died in the March 26 collapse.
Maryland Department of Transportation spokesman David Broughton said the state plans to build the new section by fall 2028. He said cost estimates are preliminary and engineering details are yet to be confirmed.
Late Wednesday, authorities said they had recovered the fifth body missing after a bridge collapsed more than a month ago, shutting down the Port of Baltimore, one of the nation's busiest ports.
On March 26, a container ship lost power and collided with one of the bridge supports, killing six road construction workers. Key Bridge Response Unified Command announced that the victim found Wednesday has been identified as Miguel Angel Luna Gonzalez, 49, of Glen Burnie, Maryland. The victims were all Latino immigrants who came to the United States from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras.
“We continue to pray for Miguel Ángel Luna González, his family, and all those who loved him, and we continue to pray for Miguel Ángel Luna Gonzalez, his family, and all those who loved him, and for the suffering they have experienced since the Key Bridge collapse,” Gov. Wes Moore said in a statement Thursday. I am aware of that,” he said. “We pray for comfort, we pray for healing, we pray for peace knowing that our loved one is finally home.”
A salvage team found one missing construction vehicle Wednesday and notified Maryland State Police, authorities said. State Police investigators, Maryland Department of Transportation troopers and the FBI responded to the scene and recovered the body inside a red truck. The State Police Underwater Recovery Team and Crime Scene Unit also assisted.
Meanwhile, the bridge's insurance policy broker confirmed Thursday that a $350 million payout will be made to the state of Maryland, the first of many payments related to the collapse.
Chubb, which insured the bridge, is preparing to pay $350 million, according to broker WTW. WTW spokesman Douglas Menery confirmed Thursday the payment plan, which was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. Chubb did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.
The Maryland Department of Transportation said Thursday that the state treasurer objected to $350 million in property insurance and $150 million in liability insurance on behalf of MDTA on the day of the bridge collapse. The company announced that it had notified the company.
“We anticipate that the full amount of property insurance will be paid soon,” the agency said in a news release.
The Dali container ship has remained stationary in the wreckage since the accident. collapse, But the crew Plan to resurface and remove This will allow more maritime traffic to resume through the Port of Baltimore. Officials expect it to be removed by May 10, according to a news release from the Port of Baltimore.
Salvage and demolition crews were still working around the clock to remove debris from the collapse site. They are now primarily focused on freeing Dali from the giant steel span that crashed into the bow of the ship.
This will allow the ship to be refloated and returned to the Port of Baltimore. This will also allow most maritime traffic through busy East Coast ports to resume.
On Thursday morning, crews were preparing for a controlled demolition to destroy the largest remaining span and roll it into the water. A huge hydraulic grabber then lifts the resulting section of steel onto a barge.
A hydraulic grabber, which officials say is the largest in the country, has also been in operation since Thursday morning. The giant claw moved very slowly down into the depths of the Patapsco River and emerged with a steel beam erected on a truss. This crane operated in conjunction with his Chesapeake 1000, one of the largest cranes on the East Coast.
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Associated Press writers Dennis Lavoie in Richmond, Virginia, and Lee Skeen in Baltimore contributed to this report.