Baltimore bridge to be rebuilt in four years, $1.9bn cost

There are plans to rebuild a bridge that collapsed in the US state of Maryland in just over four years at an estimated cost of up to $1.9 billion (€1.77bn), a transportation official has said.

The state plans to build a new structure in Baltimore by autumn of 2028, said David Broughton, a spokesman for the Maryland Department of Transportation.

He said the cost estimate is preliminary, and detailed engineering specifics have not been confirmed.

As salvage efforts continue, authorities announced earlier this week that they had recovered the body of a fifth person who died when the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed on 26 March.

He was identified by officials as Miguel Angel Luna Gonzalez, 49, of Glen Burnie, Maryland.

Six members of a crew carrying out roadworks on the bridge were killed when a container ship lost power and crashed into one of its supporting columns.

All of the victims were Latino immigrants who came to the United States from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.

“We continue to pray for Miguel Angel Luna Gonzalez, his family and all those who love him, acknowledging the anguish they have experienced since the Key Bridge collapsed,” Maryland Governor Wes Moore said in a statement.

“We pray for comfort, we pray for healing, and we pray for peace in knowing that their loved one has finally come home.”

Salvage teams found one of the missing construction vehicles on Wednesday, officials said, and his body was recovered inside.

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Meanwhile, the broker for the bridge’s insurance policy confirmed that a $350 million (€326m) payment will be made to the state of Maryland – expected to be the first of many payouts related to the collapse.

Chubb, the company that insured the bridge, is preparing to make the payment, according to WTW, the broker.

Douglas Menelly, a spokesperson for WTW, confirmed plans for the payout, which was first reported by The Wall Street Journal newspaper.

The Maryland Transportation Authority said the state’s treasurer filed a claim on the day of the bridge’s collapse.

“We expect the full property policy to be paid very shortly,” the agency said in a statement.

The disaster shut the Port of Baltimore, one of the busiest in the US.

The Dali container ship has been stationary amid the wreckage since the collapse, but crews plan to refloat and remove the vessel, allowing more maritime traffic to resume through the port.

Officials expect to have it removed by next Friday, according to a Port of Baltimore statement.

Salvage and demolition crews continue to work around the clock to clear wreckage from the site.

They are focused primarily on freeing the Dali from a huge steel span that came crashing down on the ship’s bow.

This will allow the vessel to be refloated and guided back into the Port of Baltimore.

It will also clear the way for most maritime traffic to resume through the facility.