It became known how long it will take to restore the Baltimore Bridge (3 photos)

Remember when a bridge fell in the US this week thanks to the efforts of a container ship? So, here the continuation of the story has arrived.





After the epic fall of the bridge, assessing the damage was not so easy. Work to clean up the area is still ongoing. Well, the collapse of the bridge on the I-695 highway itself created serious logistical problems in the region. Experts with a great deal of skepticism predict an almost complete cessation of ship traffic in the port of Baltimore, a major transport hub. The accident also disrupted freight and commuter traffic.

There can be no talk of restoring the bridge while work is underway to clear the areas. But the preliminary data from Maryland leaders is already out, and it's not rosy.

Benjamin Schafer, a professor of civil and systems engineering at Johns Hopkins University, told reporters that early estimates indicate that restoring the healthy bridge will be extremely difficult.



Back in 1977, its construction took a little more than 5 years, and the construction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge itself was

lassed

approximately 110 million dollars. There is currently $950 million in the emergency fund, but how much of that fund will be immediately available to rebuild the bridge is unknown. Experts are now inclined towards the figure - 400 million.

Experts at George Washington University estimate the cost could be between $500 million and $1 billion, with the biggest variable being the design. This is explained by the fact that steel is expensive nowadays, and the companies that are capable of building such a bridge are already all occupied with other objects, and for emergency restoration the price will be clearly higher.



But in terms of timing it is already more clear - the restoration of the structure itself will take about 10 years, if not more.

It all depends on factors that are still largely unknown. They range from the design of a new bridge to how quickly government officials can navigate the bureaucracy of approving permits and awarding contracts.