Collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge impacted half of area residents, report finds
The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge continued to impact the lives of nearly half of Baltimore-area residents for almost a year, according to a report by Johns Hopkins University.
The Key Bridge collapsed on March 26, 2024, after it was struck by a container ship, the Dali, which had lost power. Six construction workers were killed after falling into the Patapsco River.
The deadly bridge collapse impacted almost every aspect of life for residents in the Baltimore region. Some nearby residents were blocked by debris and wreckage, business owners experienced dips in traffic and access to the Port of Baltimore was limited, causing delays in imports and exports, the U.S. Census Bureau reported.
About 3,500 commuters used the bridge each day, and the collapse led to long-term traffic issues, Johns Hopkins University reported.
Daily lives impacted after Key Bridge collapse
As part of its 2024 Baltimore Area Survey, Johns Hopkins University researchers asked 934 city and 558 county residents how the bridge collapse affected their lives, how well the government responded and how long they expect the rebuild to take.
The survey took place between September 2024 and November 2024, detailing how residents felt about six to eight months after the bridge collapse.
According to the report, about 36% of Baltimore City and County residents said they found it harder to visit family and friends, run errands, and get to work since the collapse of the Key Bridge.
"The collapse was akin to a natural disaster striking the city, causing unexpected disruptions to people's lives and well-being," said co-author Mac McComas, program manager of the 21st Century Cities Initiative. "As with a natural disaster, it is important to know the extent to which people are impacted in the aftermath and whether certain populations are impacted more than others."
According to the report, people who lived closest to the Key Bridge were most impacted.
More than 60% of survey participants who lived within three miles of the bridge said it still affected their daily lives six to eight months later.
About 40% of those who lived more than 15 miles away said their daily lives were still being disrupted, with 4% saying they were affected "a great deal."
The data showed there were no racial or economic disparities between the responses.
"...In the instance of the Key Bridge collapse, the impact was broad and widespread across racial and socioeconomic groups, demonstrating how crucial of a role the Key Bridge played in the daily lives of many Baltimore-area residents," McComas said.
Government response to Key Bridge collapse
The majority of Baltimore City and County residents who participated in the survey said the government response to the bridge collapse was sufficient.
According to the report, more than half of the Baltimore-area residents surveyed said the government's response to the collapse was sufficient.
Most of the participants said local, state and federal agencies did a "fair" or "moderate" job helping individuals who were affected by the bridge collapse.
About 30% said the government did a "good" or very good" job.
The survey also found that residents who were affected by the bridge collapse were more likely to report a negative view of the government.
Confidence in rebuild plans, but not timeline
The survey revealed that about nine out of 10 respondents expressed confidence that the local, state and federal governments would be able to rebuild the Key Bridge, though many said it would take longer than the planned four-year timeline.
About 70% of participants said they had some degree of confidence in the local, state and federal governments' ability to do what is needed to rebuild the bridge quickly.
However, some residents indicated that they do not fully trust the government's reported timeline.
According to the report, about 73% of participants who were shown the anticipated timeline think it will take longer than four years to rebuild, compared to about 65% who were not shown the timeline.
How long will it take to rebuild the Key Bridge?
Reconstruction of Baltimore's Key Bridge is expected to be completed in the fall of 2028. Maryland leaders estimate it will cost about $2 billion.
In February, state leaders shared their vision for the new bridge, saying it would look similar to the original but would have improvements to the structure.
The new Key Bridge is also expected to be about 45-feet taller, and its cable stay design will allow for an expanded federal shipping channel. The changes will leave more room for ship traffic.
The Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) has approved several contracts for construction. Some pre-construction activities, like home inspections and soil sample collections, began in January 2025. Officials said the process is expected to take several months.
Officials said the demolition of the remaining pieces of the Key Bridge will begin in the spring, just before construction.
