On Thursday, the Maryland Transportation Authority approved a contract for rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Kiewit Infrastructure was awarded the $73 million contract for the first phase.
Bruce Gartner, executive director of the Maryland Transportation Authority, said the contract signifies a big step forward in the recovery and rebuild process.
“This really represents such an order of magnitude bigger than all our previous milestones,” Gartner said Thursday. The agency hopes to release renderings of a preliminary design within the next few months.
The company’s proposal was ranked first for its technical contents despite being somewhat more expensive than others, according to state transportation officials.
The project will have two phases, with the first focusing on the design and other necessary steps before construction. It is expected to be completed within a year.
The new bridge will be taller than the old one to accommodate larger ships entering Baltimore’s harbor, according to officials.
The transportation board also approved a proposal to remit the proceeds from a recent $350 million insurance payout to the federal government.
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Source: The Associate Press, 13 News Now
