Most Marylanders still feel Key Bridge collapse's impact, UMBC survey shows

More than a year and a half after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed, more Marylanders are feeling the impact of the tragedy.

A new survey from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, finds that nearly a third of Marylanders report feeling it. However, that's not the survey's only finding.

The survey also found that more people are open to the new timeline, which puts the new bridge's reopening in late 2030.

WJZ talked to people about their thoughts on the costs and timeline of the rebuild. Some echoed similar frustrations, while others said they're understanding of the circumstances.

More optimism on Key Bridge rebuild

Traffic remains one of the lasting impacts of the Key Bridge collapse, with many drivers having to find alternate routes since March 2024.

It's something Dominic McAnany deals with a lot. The bridge used to be a part of his commute.

He agrees with the 71% in a UMBC survey who say the collapse has made "a great deal" or "some" impact on life in the area.

"[The added traffic] really affects [the time it takes] coming home," McAnany said.

The survey also found 54% believe the bridge will be reopened in five to 10 years. Twenty-five percent say it'll take less than five years, while 12% say it'll take 11 to 20 years.

Niya Atkinson said she's willing to wait. She just wants the rebuild to be done right.

"If it's not done properly, I feel like that could be more issues later on down the road," Atkinson said. "I've only went over the Key Bridge a couple of times [before the collapse], but I know it's important to a lot of different businesses over there to get it taken care of. So, if you're saying it's this, let's hopefully make sure that it is that and just get things rolling."

Explaining the increased costs

The UMBC survey comes after the Maryland Transportation Authority, or MDTA, gave a community update on the rebuild process.

Last month, the cost estimate for the rebuild more than doubled to $4.3 billion to $5.2 billion.

The completion date was pushed to late 2030.

MDTA executive director Bruce Gartner said inflation and elements of the bridge's design drove up the cost.

"Specifically, the enhanced pier protection system is over $1 billion to meet federal guidelines for protecting fenders designed larger than a football field," Gartner said.

Gartner and other MDTA and transportation leaders assured people they're working around the clock.

"While I realize that 2030 is a long way from now, please be assured that the MDTA is moving quickly to begin construction next year while looking for new solutions to traffic in the Baltimore region," Gartner said.

Also in Tuesday's community update, MDTA and MDOT said they are working on ways to mitigate traffic issues during the rebuild.

You can stay up-to-date with the whole process here.