Maryland Bridge Rebuild Hits Major Setback
Maryland Bridge Rebuild Hits Major Setback as Key Contract Is Canceled
Maryland’s effort to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge encountered a significant setback Tuesday, as state officials abruptly canceled a crucial construction contract.
The state removed contractor Kiewit Infrastructure Co. from the project’s critical second phase after its proposals “far exceeded” initial cost estimates, according to U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
The decision sends Maryland back to the drawing board at a pivotal stage, forcing officials to seek a new builder as costs continue to climb. The project’s price tag has ballooned from approximately $1.8 billion to more than $5.2 billion.
What had been positioned as a model of efficiency now becomes a high-stakes test for the Moore administration, as it navigates one of the most expensive and closely watched infrastructure projects in the nation.
