Temporary shipping pathway to Port of Baltimore to be cleared after Key Bridge collapse

Officials are taking the first step to reopen the Port of Baltimore by clearing a temporary alternate channel near the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge for essential commercial vessels. 

"By opening this alternate route, we will support the flow of marine traffic into Baltimore," Capt. David O’Connell, the federal coordinator of the Key Bridge Response, said Sunday.

The channel will be on the northeast side of the main channel near the bridge, and it is part of a phased reopening of the primary channel. As part of the cleanup, demolition crews on Sunday used tow crane barges to cut into portions of the collapsed bridge truss. 

Six construction workers are presumed dead after they were working on the bridge last Tuesday when a vessel lost power and hit the bridge, causing a collapse within seconds. Only two bodies of the six workers have been recovered. 

The collapse has caused issues with shipping and transportation. The Key Bridge carried more than 34,000 vehicles a day on average last year, according to the Transportation Department. The Port of Baltimore is a major import and export hub and is the 10th largest port for dry bulk goods. 

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