Lawmakers are focusing on how to finance and replace the fallen Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore now that the port has reopened.
Senators examined the ongoing state and federal response to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore earlier this year as Maryland works to plan the rebuilding efforts of the bridge and get the harbor that was essentially shuttered for weeks back on track.lost power and crashed into one of its supporting columns, bringing much of the bridge down with it. Six people, immigrants who were working an overnight shift to fill potholes on the bridge, were killed by the collapse.
Officials have said they hope to rebuild the bridge by 2028, and President Joe Biden has pledged to have the federal government cover the cost of a replacement. The administration asked Congress forin June to go toward rebuilding the bridge and other disasters that have not yet received federal support. Maryland has estimated the cost of a new bridge to be between $1.7 billion and $1.9 billion.
“We are asking for it 100% because that's what we've done in the past, and we need it now because we are lending contracts to start the construction now,” said Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md. “We don't want to delay this. Every month it's delayed is additional loss to our communities and frustration among drivers, not only those that are directly impacted by the port, but those that are using our streets.
“If Congress does not require Maryland to share in the costs of a project like the replacement of the Key Bridge, which will have a revenue source, how can Congress require any other recipient of Program funding to pay their cost share?” said Sen. Shelley Capito, R-W.Va. “We'll continue to lose that revenue through that through the next four and a half years, that is what we're projecting right now. So, we're losing those dollars now. The other part of that is in effect, we are costing businesses and people every day by the delay of this bridge being built by this by any delay potential delay on this bridge being built,” Wiedefeld said.
Collapse Rebuilding Maryland Federal Government Cleanup Baltimore Funding Sen.
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