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How Baltimore’s shipping channel reopened after the Key Bridge collapse
The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse blocked Baltimore’s main navigation channel on 26 March 2024. Temporary passages brought back some traffic before the Army Corps restored the 700-foot-wide federal channel on 10 June.
Sources checked
- 26 March 2024Federal channel blocked
The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge blocks the main shipping channel. Source 1
- 2 April 2024Temporary alternate channel
The first of three temporary alternate channels opens to shallow-draft traffic. Source 1
- 25 April 2024Limited Access Channel opens
A 300-foot-wide passage at 35 feet deep opens through the area. Source 2
- 9 May 2024Recreational transit allowed
The Unified Command permits recreational vessels to pass through the response safety zone. Source 1
- 20 to 21 May 2024Deep-draft access returns
A passage 400 feet wide and 50 feet deep becomes available for deep-draft commercial vessels. Source 3
- 4 June 2024Last major truss removed
The Corps records removal of the last major steel truss from the federal channel. Source 1
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- 10 June 2024Full federal dimensions restored
A survey confirms restoration of the 700-foot-wide, 50-foot-deep navigation channel. Source 1
Choose a date to jump to the dimensions and official record.
Early passages had a smaller operating envelope
The first temporary alternate channel allowed shallow-draft traffic. By 25 April a 300-foot-wide, 35-foot-deep Limited Access Channel had opened. That depth and width differed from the ordinary dimensions of the Fort McHenry Federal Channel. Source 1 Source 2
Full depth came before full width
The May passage restored 50 feet of depth and provided 400 feet of width. The Corps said it could accommodate deep-draft vessels that had used the port before the collapse. The 700-foot width in June restored more flexibility for two-way traffic. Source 3 Source 1
The June milestone followed a navigation survey
The Corps records the last major steel truss removal on 4 June and a survey of the federal channel on 10 June. It reported that restoring the federal dimensions involved removing about 50,000 tons of bridge wreckage from the river. Source 1
Navigation and road access have separate milestones
The records show when different vessels could use the waterway. They describe channel depth, width and restrictions. Rebuilding the bridge and restoring highway capacity are separate projects. Source 1 Source 4