Baltimore’s federal channel fully restored after bridge collapse

The US Army Corps of Engineers awaited the outcome of underwater surveys before officially affirming the restoration of the entire 700-foot wide and 50-foot-deep channel.

As informed, since March 26, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Navy Supervisor of Salvage and Diving worked to clear Key Bridge wreckage and move the M/V Dali from the Federal Channel.

Following the removal of wreckage at the 50-foot mud-line, the Unified Command performed a survey of the Federal Channel June 10, certifying the riverbed as safe for transit. Surveying and removal of steel at and below the 50-foot mud-line will continue to ensure future dredging operations are not impacted. 

The Unified Command safely moved the M/V Dali on May 20 and widened the Limited Access Channel to 400 feet May 21, permitting all pre-collapse, deep-draft commercial vessels to transit through the Port of Baltimore. Now, the fully operational channel enables the flexibility to regain two-way traffic and cancel the additional safety requirements that were implemented because of the reduced channel width.

We are proud of the unified efforts that fully reopened the Federal Channel to port operations. The partnerships that endured through this response made this pivotal mission successful.

…said Lt. Gen. Scott Spellmon, commanding general of USACE. 

As informed, fully restoring the Federal Channel to its original width and depth involved the removal of about 50,000 tons of bridge wreckage from the Patapsco River.

At its highest point, the Unified Command, consisting of six agencies, led the response efforts among about 56 federal, state, and local agencies, represented by 1,587 individual responders.

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.

..said Pinchasin.