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When was Francis Scott Key Bridge built? Exploring marvelous Baltimore Bridge's historical significance amidst its collapse
Following a freighter collision, the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed early on Tuesday morning around 1:30 a.m., resulting in the suspected deaths of six construction workers.
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The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore was built in 1972 and opened for traffic on March 23, 1977
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The Key Bridge is calimed one of the country's longest continuous truss bridges
Trigger Warning: This article contains references to a tragic bridge collapse.
Early on Tuesday morning, the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed in Baltimore, Maryland as a result of a collision with an internationally renowned commercial vessel. With two persons rescued and six more missing, the catastrophe has left a path of destruction and raised concerns of a mass casualty event.
Francis Scott Key Bridge collapses early morning on Tuesday
The Washington Post reports that at approximately 1:30 a.m., the 985-foot Singapore-flagged ship Dali lost power just before it struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which crosses the Patapsco River between the counties of Baltimore and Anne Arundel. When the steel-arched bridge was constructed in the 1970s, it was regarded as an engineering marvel. Amidst the collapse of the marvelous bridge, let's take a look at its history and significance!
Francis Scott Key Bridge: Location, History, and Significance
Where is the Key Bridge located?
The 1.6-mile bridge connects Baltimore's Inner Harbor to the Chesapeake Bay by crossing the Patapsco River. The bridge was a vital part of Interstate 695, which allowed traffic to travel north and south through Baltimore. There were two lanes of traffic in each direction on the structure, divided by a concrete divider.
The bridge was an element of a network of crossings that provided 'convenient access for both local and interstate traffic, according to the Maryland Access Authority (MDTA). One of two bridges in the Washington, D.C., metro region bearing the name of The Star-Spangled Banner author Francis Scott Key is located in Baltimore. The other goes across the Potomac River and connects Arlington, Virginia's Rosslyn to Georgetown, Washington.
When was Key Bridge built?
The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore was built starting in 1972 and opened for traffic on March 23, 1977. The bridge, which cost more than $60 million, was built when the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel's traffic capacity was reached.
Preservation Maryland, a nonprofit organization devoted to preserving historical structures, described the building of the four-lane bridge as 'a major milestone in Maryland's transportation planning'. According to the group, the bridge was praised as 'a significant engineering accomplishment'. The American Society of Civil Engineers claims that it was also one of the country's longest continuous truss bridges. As per the MDTA, the bridge's toll income surpassed $56 million in 2023.
Historical significance
The MDTA claims that in September 1814, during the Battle of Baltimore, Key saw British ships bombarding Fort McHenry close to the location of the bridge. According to the Maryland Center for History and Culture, he was inspired by that incident to pen the words of the poem Defense of Fort McHenry, which was eventually renamed The Star-Spangled Banner. In 1931, the poem was formally adopted as the national anthem.
ALSO READ: Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse: Rescue operation ends with six presumed dead
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