ANNAPOLIS– Gov. Wes Moore unveiled the design for the new Francis Scott Key Bridge on Tuesday, predicting full funding from the federal government for a project he says is “not about nostalgia” but rather necessity.
The new design of the bridge, which would be taller than the previous iteration, comes less than a year after its devastating collapse last March.
“Maryland is the bridge between America and the rest of the world,” Moore said at an event announcing the new design. “This will be the place that the country will remember not just what resilience looks like, but what economic growth looks like.”
Moore and his administration are confident that the federal government will remain committed to funding the project, even as President Donald Trump’s administration rolls back countless initiatives put forth by former President Joe Biden. In the waning days of Biden’s presidency, Congress passed a spending bill that included full funding of the Key Bridge rebuild.
“We were able to get full funding from the federal government, 100% cost share, because there was both Democrat and Republican support in order to make that happen,” Moore said. “We expect the continued bipartisan support in order to complete the project.”
According to Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller, pre-construction work has already begun with a demolition of the remains of the old bridge set for the spring.
“A road is never just a road,” Miller said. “A bridge is never just a bridge. Transportation is a force of freedom.”
The new bridge is projected to be finished in 2028.