NEW BRIDGE DESIGN REVEAL
Concrete removed from former Key Bridge.
DEMOLITION BEGINS This first phase of removing the former Key Bridge started in July with mechanical demolition that used heavy machinery, including excavators and cranes, to carefully dismantle por- tions of the existing structure. Crews started by removing the bridge deck over the river on the bridge’s south side. “We’re going to section the concrete up into manageable pieces,” Harkness said. “We will lift them off one piece at a time, then bring those pieces down and actually rubblize the concrete.” Concrete removed from the bridge is being used for onsite temporary access roads, and the structural steel was recycled at permitted facilities. This phase targets portions of the existing structure that inter- fere with the new bridge’s alignment, which will sit slightly east and downriver of the original structure. Also in July, Governor Moore, along with Maryland trans- portation leaders and elected officials, visited the demolition site. The Governor and MDTA engineers answered questions from the media following a tour around the bridge site. In October, crews completed the demolition and removal of all concrete from the existing bridge deck. In November, they removed a large portion of the structural steel, called girders, on the north and south sides of the bridge. They also started demolishing the existing bridge columns.
Rendering of new Key Bridge.
In early February, Governor Wes Moore announced the new design concept for the Key Bridge Rebuild, which will be Maryland’s first highway cable-stayed bridge. The state- of-the-art design includes a 230-foot minimum clearance and will accommodate larger ships bound for the Port of Baltimore. Safety is paramount, and the design features pier protection fenders the size of an NFL football field. “The Key Bridge Rebuild is about more than restoring a crit- ical piece of infrastructure; it’s about ensuring the mobility of Marylanders and investing in our state’s future,” said MDTA Executive Director Bruce Gartner. “Governor Moore’s direc- tives have laid a strong foundation, and we are committed to reconnect, revitalize and reimagine the Key Bridge.” KEY BRIDGE REBUILD INTERNSHIP In June, the MDTA welcomed the inaugural group of Key Bridge Rebuild interns. The MDTA partnered with the Mary- land Higher Education Commission to launch the program, reflecting the MDTA’s commitment to rebuild the Key Bridge while developing the future workforce in the engineering and infrastructure development fields. Nine students spent their summer with the project team, getting a front-row seat to major Key Bridge pre-construction operations. They also visited other MDTA facilities and ex- plored engineering, environmental and business fields.
“We’re going to section the concrete up into manageable pieces. We will lift them off one piece at a time, then bring those pieces down and actually rubblize the concrete.”
“It really is a great opportunity for MDTA to work directly with college-aged students who are com- ing out of school with fresh ideas, and for in- terns to get involved in a project of this scale
where they can learn across disciplines and be part of something that will be a lasting landmark for Baltimore City,”
—MDTA CHIEF ENGINEER JIM HARKNESS
said MDTA Deputy Director of Major Projects Jason Stolicny.
MARYLAND TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY 2025 ANNUAL REPORT 13
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