President Joe Biden was scheduled to receive an aerial tour Friday of the collapsed Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore and announce plans for ongoing efforts to repair and replace the span and reopen the Baltimore harbor to full capacity.
The bridge was destroyed in the early morning hours of March 26 when a cargo ship lost power and collided with a support structure. The span collapsed within seconds, killing six construction workers who were on the bridge at the time.
The president’s tour was to include Maryland Governor Wes Moore, U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Linda Fagan and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Chief General Scott Spellmon.
Biden is also scheduled to participate in a briefing on the ongoing response and recovery efforts regarding the bridge and operation of the Baltimore Harbor, one of the busiest U.S. ports. The accident halted vessel traffic in the Port of Balitmore, a potentially serious blow to both the regional and national economies.
Last week the White House released $60 million in federal Emergency Relief funds for Maryland’s initial costs and announced the U.S. Small Business Administration would provide low-interest disaster loans to eligible businesses impacted by the accident.
The U.S. Army Corps of engineers said Thursday it expects to open a limited access channel to the Port of Baltimore by the end of the month. The agency said the channel would support one-way traffic in and out of the port.
Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press and Reuters.