Maryland receives USACE permit to rebuild the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge over the Patapsco River. The project, initiated after the tragic bridge collapse in 2024, aims to reconnect major transportation routes and boost community accessibility. USACE permits are granted for various construction activities in adherence to regulatory protocols.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo
While the construction of the proposed Key Bridge and its structures will be performed over and adjacent to the Patapsco River’s Fort McHenry Federal Channel, the work is not expected to result in an alteration to the dimensions of the 700-ft.-wide and 50-ft.-deep shipping channel.
The Maryland Transportation Authority (MTA) was issued a permit March 5, 2025, by the Baltimore District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the rebuild of the Francis Scott Key Bridge over the Patapsco River, near the entrance to the busy Port of Baltimore.
The reconstruction is critically needed to reconnect the Interstate 695/Baltimore Beltway, a major East Coast artery and improving community accessibility lost following the collapse on March 26, 2024, of the original structure, which claimed the lives of six local residents.
The Baltimore District Regulatory Branch previously issued two permit verifications last year for preliminary construction activities, explosive demolition and removal of the remaining bridge structures and continues to participate in weekly interagency meetings on the project.
"Less than one year after the catastrophic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, [our district] is proud to have provided fair and efficient permitting efforts to enable the construction of a new bridge," said Army Col. Francis Pera, commander of the USACE's Baltimore district. "To have both removed the bridge wreckage and issued relevant permits for its reconstruction on this timetable is a testament to our dedicated regulatory branch and our mission to support an energetic economy across the Mid-Atlantic."
In a news release from the USACE, the agency said, "Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 requires authorization from the Secretary of the Army, acting through USACE, for construction in or over any navigable waterway of the United States, including dredging or disposal of dredged materials, excavation or any other modification. This applies to all structures, from the smallest floating dock to the largest commercial undertaking. It also includes [structural] elements like dolphins, trestles, jetties, pilings and aerial or subaqueous power transmission lines."
While the construction of the proposed Key Bridge and its structures will be performed over and adjacent to the Patapsco River's Fort McHenry Federal Channel, the work is not expected to result in an alteration to the dimensions of the 700-ft.-wide and 50-ft.-deep shipping channel.
Since 1917, the USACE's Baltimore District has been congressionally authorized to maintain the Baltimore harbor and channels federal navigation project, which includes the Fort McHenry channel, and will continue to do so throughout the new bridge's construction.
Section 404 of the federal Clean Water Act requires authorization through USACE for the discharge of dredged or fill material into all waters of the United States, the agency noted, including wetlands. Discharges of fill material generally include placement of fill that is necessary for the construction of any structure, or impoundment requiring rock, sand, dirt or other material for its construction.
As currently designed, the replacement of the Key Bridge will incorporate reinforced pier foundations, pier protection islands and six dolphins (human-made berthing or mooring structures) to permanently impact approximately 12.71 acres of the tidal river.
In addition, the USACE said a temporary trestle for construction access will be built and require the installation of approximately 1,200 36-in. steel piles, covering an above-water area of approximately 400,000 sq. ft., and the top of pile will be located approximately 10 ft. above the approximate mean high-water line of the Patapsco River.
Another roughly 300 36-in. temporary mooring or template piles will be driven into the riverbed, as well. The trestle and template piles together will temporarily impact approximately 9.19 acres of the waterway.
Geotechnical investigations are ongoing, according to the Corps of Engineers, which noted that the test pile operations, pier demolition and trestle construction are all expected to begin summer 2025, followed by in-water construction of the new Key Bridge in fall 2025.
The project also requires similar permit verification from the U.S. Coast Guard.
The Baltimore District of the USACE delivers vital engineering solutions in collaboration with its partners to serve and strengthen the U.S., along with energizing the economy and reducing disaster risks.
Headquartered near Baltimore's Inner Harbor, the district's office provides design, engineering, construction, environmental and real estate expertise to various important projects and customers. Its efforts support five states, the District of Columbia, operations overseas, and the Susquehanna, Potomac and Chesapeake Bay watersheds.
These civil and military missions, along with diverse engineering services, support communities and defense initiatives while addressing the ever-growing list of emerging national security requirements and ultimately protecting the nation, according to USACE.
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