Wes Moore, Sean Duffy say "significant progress" made during Key Bridge rebuild meeting

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said "significant progress" was made when they met on Thursday to discuss rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

Last November, Maryland's Transportation Authority (MDTA) said the new bridge would cost between $4.3 billion and $5.2 billion, which was more than initially anticipated. The MDTA also said the bridge wouldn't be completed until 2030, rather than 2028.

"During today's meeting, we made significant progress," Duffy and Moore said in a joint statement. "We agreed to accelerate the reconstruction of both the Francis Scott Key Bridge and the American Legion Bridge."

They added, "Our teams will continue to hash out the final details to ensure both critical bridge projects are completed quickly and affordably."

Duffy said in December that he planned to meet with Moore to discuss the increased estimated cost of the Key Bridge reconstruction, as well as relieving the congestion on the American Legion Bridge along the I-495 and I-270 corridor.

In a letter to Moore last September, Duffy said he would be providing oversight on the Key Bridge project, including the timeline and price tag.

Gov. Moore's office stated last month that the governor "continues to engage with bipartisan Congressional leadership and the Trump administration to move forward quickly on the rebuild of the Key Bridge and remains open to innovative ways to improve the American Legion Bridge with the federal government."

Rising cost of the new Key Bridge

Inflation and the updated elements of the Key Bridge's design has increased the estimated cost, the MDTA executive director said.

MDTA said bridge have an advanced pier protection system, making the bridge wider and taller over the federal channel, which will be $1 billion alone to avoid another collapse.

The state began its design in the fall of 2024, and should be completed this spring. As of December 2025, about 70% of the design was completed.

The new Key Bridge will be more than two miles long and will have two 12-foot lanes going in each direction, according to the MDTA. 

The bridge will have a 230-foot clearance above the federal channel and will have an expected lifespan of 100 years, officials said.