The US Army Corps of Engineers has declared that the passageway where the Key Bridge buckled is now “safe for transit”.
The channel, which is 700 feet wide and 50 feet deep, has been restored to its original operational dimensions.
On March 26, the Dali ship veered into the span, causing the bridge to collapse and resulting in the deaths of six construction workers. Since then, crews have worked tirelessly to remove 50,000 tonnes of wreckage, with the assistance of 2,000 salvage responders, including specialists from around the world. A fleet of tugboats and over a dozen floating cranes were used in the operation.
In a statement, Baltimore District Commander Col Estee Pinchasin said, “Although the overarching goal to restore full operational capacity to the Federal Channel was successful, each day we thought of those who lost their lives, their families and the workers impacted by this tragic event.”
The Dali was recently moved by tugboats, one of the final steps in clearing shipping routes before the channel’s reopening on Monday. The FBI and US Coast Guard are investigating the incident, with the National Transportation Safety Board previously stating that the Dali had experienced power loss multiple times before colliding with the bridge.
Maryland state authorities estimate that rebuilding the span will take over four years and cost up to $1.9 billion (£1.5 billion).
