Maryland residents will have a chance Tuesday night to hear updates and weigh in on the effort to rebuild Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge during a virtual meeting hosted by the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA).

The meeting comes about a week after federal transportation officials raised concerns about the updated cost and timeline to rebuild the bridge. 

Virtual Key Bridge meeting

During the virtual meeting Tuesday, MDTA officials are expected to discuss the latest progress on the Key Bridge rebuild, the new bridge design featuring pier protection, and factors that impacted the estimated cost. 

In November, MDTA changed the estimated cost from $2 billion to between $4.3 billion and $5.2 billion. They also said the project would be completed by 2030 rather than 2028. 

MDTA officials said the increase was due to a rise in the cost of materials, as the initial estimates were made two weeks after the bridge collapsed in March 2024. The latest estimates were made as the design and pre-construction phases progressed. 

Shortly after the increased cost to rebuild the bridge was announced, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he would meet with Maryland Gov. Wes Moore to discuss his concerns. 

The governor's office said Tuesday that it is working with Duffy's team to schedule the meeting. 

Rebuilding Baltimore's Key Bridge

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. 

Funding for the project was included in the 2024 federal spending bill.