Baltimore Mayor Scott announces $1.2 million donation to Key Bridge collapse victims and survivors
Baltimore City will contribute $1.2 million to the Key Bridge Emergency Response Fund, which supports victims' families and survivors of the bridge collapse, Mayor Brandon Scott announced Tuesday.
Six construction workers died in the collapse while filling potholes on the bridge, and two workers were rescued.
This donation will extend support for the families for up to an additional 30 months past its original end date in December.
"Growing up, I was taught that when tragedy strikes you don't wait, you act," Scott said. "That's what our city did after the Key Bridge collapse."
How has the fund supported the collapse victims' families?
The Key Bridge Emergency Response Fund was established after the bridge collapse to provide direct monetary support to families of victims and survivors, according to the city.
According to the mayor's office, the fund has provided support covering essential expenses including rent, food, burial and repatriation costs, travel expenses, legal services, childcare, and remittances to families abroad.
"Our work has always been dedicated to the families of the men who lost their lives that night, and the two workers who survived the bridge collapse, wrapping our arms around them and supporting them through this unthinkable tragedy," Scott said in today's announcement.
Who is managing the fund?
The Key Bridge Emergency Response Fund is organized and administered by the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs with help from the Baltimore Civic Fund, according to the mayor's announcement.
Through public donations, the city raised $1.14 million from thousands of individuals and organizations. To date, more than half of these funds have been distributed to ease the financial burden on those most affected, the mayor said.
What is the timeline for rebuilding the Key Bridge?
Rebuilding of the Francis Scott Key Bridge is scheduled for completion by 2028, with a projected cost between $1.7 billion and $1.9 billion.
Pre-construction activities began in January 2025, according to the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA). These include inspecting approximately 1,100 homes and businesses in nearby communities, scanning the riverbed, collecting soil samples, and surveying.
In February 2025, the MDTA authorized three contracts for construction management and inspection services worth $20 million each, with the Maryland Board of Public Works approving contracts with Greenman-Pederson, Inc./Gannett Fleming, Inc.; Michael Baker International, Inc./STV, Inc.; and AECOM Technical Services, Inc.
Later, the MDTA unveiled the design for the new Key Bridge.
