BALTIMORE, Md — Contractors are driving massive metal pilings into the Patapsco River this summer as reconstruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge moves forward.
Key bridge reconstruction: Foundation work underway as project advances on schedule
The pilings, more than 200 feet long, 8 feet in diameter, and a foot thick, will serve as the foundation for the new Key Bridge.
Jim Harkness, chief engineer for the Maryland Transportation Authority, said the foundation work is critical to the project's timeline.
"Those piers, also called pylons, are critical to this project to advance this project as quickly as possible in order to open to traffic as quickly as possible," Harkness said.
The project is being broken into 4 contracts. The most crucial is the main span.
MDTA is currently working through contractor qualifications to create a reduced candidate list for the main span work.
"We are now in the process of working through those qualifications and qualifying contractors so that we can create a reduced candidates list," Harkness said.
The group is also looking for a contractor to demolish the remaining portions of the old bridge, and the approach roadways still need to be awarded separately.
MDTA said the project remains on its late 2030 timeline and within budget. Harkness said splitting the work into 4 contracts is designed to keep costs down and speed up delivery.
"The benefit I kind of mentioned of breaking it up into 4 contracts is to be able to encourage competition, and competition hopefully drives both a lower cost and an earlier delivery schedule," Harkness said.
10 more foundation piles still need to be driven into the riverbed, and the protection piers also require support piles. While the current work may not be visually dramatic, Harkness said more visible progress is coming soon.
"That work will start next summer. You'll really see that underway, but at the end of this year you'll start to see work going on with these two portions of the former bridge, the demolition of that. Next spring and summer, you'll see active work on the approach roadways, as it starts to build out of the ground as well," Harkness said.
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