BALTIMORE — Trump administration officials are expressing concerns about the cost of the Key Bridge rebuild and what they call "unconstitutional DEI practices."
In a letter that U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy sent to Maryland Governor Wes Moore on Friday, he raised concerns about the budget and timeline of the project.
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"DEI contracting practices and ballooning project costs are already threatening to delay this critical project," said Duffy in a statement release with the letter. "We will leverage our oversight authorities to ensure this vital bridge is rebuilt the right way."
He specifies in the letter, "I am particularly interested in how the State of Maryland plans to achieve key delivery metrics for the FSK Bridge replacement project, including MDOT's estimates of a $1.8 billion project cost and 2028 expected completion date."
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He also brings up his concern about "DEI practices."
"One additional area of specific concern relates to whether Maryland intends to award contracts for the FSK Bridge project in a manner that relies on the race or sex of contractors," writes Duffy. "Any reliance on race- or sex-conscious factors in contracting decisions could introduce significant legal vulnerabilities and inefficiencies in the management of the project."
He cites his "Follow the Law" letter, which he sent in April to all recipients of DOT funding.
"[T]he Equal Protection principles of the U.S. Constitution prohibit State and Federal governmental entities from discriminating on the basis of protected characteristics, including race and sex," he writes in the letter sent today to Gov. Moore.
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The Governor, in a statement on Friday afternoon, stated that the cost of the project would be finalized in the coming months.
"We will continue to work with the Trump Administration to find ways to reduce costs and rebuild faster," said Moore. "We anticipate the price estimation process to be finalized in the coming months and we will provide regular updates from the Maryland Department of Transportation about the project’s status. In the meantime, we will continue to pursue litigation and make substantial financial contributions by way of advance construction costs and insurance settlement dollars to keep the project moving."
He added that the rebuild is still in the design and pre-construction phase.
Moore didn't directly address DEI concerns brought up by Duffy in his letter.
You can view the full letter Duffy sent to Moore today here:
You can read the entirety of Governor Wes Moore's response here:
“On the early morning of March 26, 2024, the Francis Scott Key Bridge crumbled into the Patapsco River after an unseaworthy ship—the size of three football fields—crashed into it. The tragedy resulted in the death of six Marylanders and threatened not only to cripple our state’s economy, but deeply impact the lives and livelihoods of the millions of Americans across the country whose prosperity depends on a fully functional bridge.
“We moved with speed and efficiency to secure expedited permitting to begin the rebuild immediately, clearing the channel to the Port of Baltimore in 11 weeks when some experts said it would take 11 months. Since then, we have worked expeditiously to promote full restoration of the bridge as a critical asset to our nation’s economy. Today, the project continues in the design phase, with demolition and pre-construction underway in parallel.
“We must keep in perspective that 13% of our state’s economy hangs in the balance and that the goods that flow through the Port don't just touch Marylanders—they reach the farmer in Kentucky, the auto worker in Michigan, and the restaurant owner in Tennessee. The Port of Baltimore handles more cars and more farm equipment than any other port in the country. The Port is also ranked second for salt and exported coal and is among the top ten ports nationally for total cargo.
“We will continue to work with the Trump Administration to find ways to reduce costs and rebuild faster. We anticipate the price estimation process to be finalized in the coming months and we will provide regular updates from the Maryland Department of Transportation about the project’s status. In the meantime, we will continue to pursue litigation and make substantial financial contributions by way of advance construction costs and insurance settlement dollars to keep the project moving.
“The safety of the bridge and the sound stewardship of taxpayer dollars remain our top priority as we work to fully restore economic vitality—not only to the Port of Baltimore and the State of Maryland, but for the people across the country.”
- Governor Wes Moore's statement in response to letter from U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy
