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Key Bridge News
At approximately 1:30 a.m. on March 26, 2024, a cargo ship leaving the Port of Baltimore struck the (I-695) Francis Scott Key Bridge. This caused a collapse of the bridge.
I-695 Outer Loop closed at MD 173 (exit 1) and Inner Loop closed at at MD 151/North Point Boulevard (exit 42). Harbor Crossings alternate routes are I-95 or I-895 tunnels. Vehicles transporting hazardous materials prohibited in tunnels should use the western section of I-695 around tunnels. This includes vehicles carrying bottled propane gas in excess of 10 pounds per container (maximum of 10 containers), bulk gasoline, explosives, significant amounts of radioactive materials.
Southeast I-695 closed on Outer Loop at MD 173 (exit 1) and Inner Loop closed at MD 151/North Point Boulevard (exit 42). Harbor Crossings alternate routes are I-95 or I-895 tunnels.
April 15, 2024
Vehicles carrying bottled propane gas in excess of 10 pounds per container (maximum of 10 containers), bulk gasoline, flammable liquids, explosives, radioactive and other hazardous materials are prohibited from using the Fort McHenry Tunnel (I-95) or the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel (I-895). Specific information on prohibited and permitted hazardous material transport through the tunnels can be found by visiting the Maryland Division of State Documents' website the Maryland Division of State Documents to view the applicable COMAR regulations: Title 11, Subtitle 7, Chapter 1 (11.07.01).
- May 21, 2024 | Governor Wes Moore Press Conference on the Collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge
- May 13, 2024 | Governor Wes Moore Press Conference on the Collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge
- April 30, 2024 | Governor Wes Moore Press Conference on the Collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge
- April 23, 2024 | Governor Wes Moore Press Conference on the Collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge
- April 19, 2024 | Governor Wes Moore Press Conference on the Collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge
- April 10, 2024 | Governor Wes Moore Press Conference on the Collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge
- April 4, 2024 | Governor Wes Moore Press Conference on the Collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge
- April 2, 2024 | Governor Wes Moore Press Conference on the Collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge
- April 1, 2024 | Governor Wes Moore Press Conference on the Collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge
- March 28, 2024 | Governor Wes Moore Press Conference on the Collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge
- March 27, 2024 | Governor Wes Moore Press Conference on the Collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge
- March 26, 2024 | Governor Wes Moore Morning Press Conference
The Francis Scott Key Bridge opened in March 1977 and is named for the author of the Star Spangled Banner. The bridge is the outermost of three toll crossings of Baltimore's Harbor. Upon completion, the bridge structure and its approaches became the final links in Interstate 695 (the Baltimore Beltway).
By the early 1960s, the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel (Interstate 895), the first crossing of Baltimore's Harbor, had reached its traffic capacity, and motorists encountered heavy congestion and delays almost daily during rush hours. The State Roads Commission, predecessor of the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA), concluded there was a need for a second harbor crossing and began planning a single-tube tunnel under the Patapsco River, downstream from the Harbor Tunnel. The proposed site was between Hawkins Point and Sollers Point. Plans also were underway for a drawbridge over Curtis Creek to connect Hawkins Point to Sollers Point.