ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The Trump Administration is expressing concerns over rising costs of a new Francis Scott Key Bridge.
Initially reconstruction was estimated to cost around $1.9 billion with a 2028 completion date.
The expected price tag's since increased to somewhere between $4.3 and $5.2 billion, while pushing back the anticipated reopening until 2030.
This has gotten the attention of U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy, who on Tuesday announced an upcoming meeting with Maryland Governor Wes Moore.
“Maryland’s highways help connect thousands to our nation’s capital, and as part of our effort to revitalize the area and make it safe and beautiful, holding leaders accountable at every level is essential to making sure taxpayer dollars are used effectively and efficiently,” said Duffy.
The meeting follows-up on a September 2025 letter Duffy sent to Moore raising oversight concerns about the Key Bridge replacement, a bill taxpayers will be footing.
Federal officials and Moore will also reportedly discuss a stalled construction project of the American Legion Memorial Bridge, which former Governor Larry Hogan made one of his signature issues to ease congestion along the I-495/I-270 corridor.
In order to get that process restarted, the feds have issued a new Request for Information seeking public input on accelerating work on the American Legion Memorial Bridge.
“Governor Moore’s lack of action on the American Legion Bridge corridor is holding back progress on one of the nation’s most critical transportation routes,” said Federal Highway Administration Administrator Sean McMaster. “That’s why the Trump Administration is seeking public input to restart the multi-state plan to relieve congestion in this heavily traveled corridor on both the Virginia and Maryland sides.”
We've reached out to Moore's office for more specifics on when and where this meeting will take place.
