The Francis Scott Key Bridge, named for the author of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” is part of Baltimore’s symbol

The bridge that collapsed into the Maryland River after Tuesday’s boat strike was iconic. Built nearly five years ago, it was named for the author of “The Star-Spangled Banner” and is part of Baltimore’s urban fabric.

The eponymous bridge was built near the site where Francis Scott Key witnessed the bombing of a fort that later became the inspiration for the U.S. national anthem. The eponymous bridge was struck by a vessel that reported losing power before crashing into the Patapsco River. Rescue workers were searching for the bodies of six people who were still missing Tuesday afternoon and presumed dead.

“The words ‘Key Bridge is gone’ still resonate deeply,” said Maryland Gov. Wes Moore. “For 47 years, that’s all we’ve known. This is not only unprecedented, it’s heartbreaking.”

Moore said the bridge is a “normal commuting route for 30,000 Marylanders every day.” It is 56 kilometers (185 feet) above the water and is a key cog in the region’s transportation infrastructure.

David Belew, vice president of the Maryland Historical and Cultural Center, said the Francis Scott Key Bridge, visible from office buildings in downtown Baltimore, is “inseparable from our sense of place and is a key component for commuters.” It’s part of daily life and an artery for commuting.” Business. “

“There has been fundamental change in our ports, our ports and many homes,” he said.
Designed as the exterior crossing of the Port of Baltimore, the 2.57 km (1.6 mi) long bridge opened to traffic on March 23, 1977 and is the final stop on Interstate 695 (known locally as the Baltimore Beltway).

According to the Maryland Transportation Authority, the bridge is less than 100 yards (91.44 meters) from the spot where Key witnessed the British bombardment of Fort McHenry on September 12, 1814.

The base station watched the 25-hour British attack on the fort from the deck of an American ship aboard the USS Patapsco.Later the raising of the American flag inspired him to write this poem Defense of Fort McHenryAccording to the National Park Service. In 1931, the song was set to music and became the national anthem.

In the early 1960s, the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel (Interstate 895) reached its traffic capacity, and motorists experienced severe congestion and delays during rush hour almost every day, the transit agency wrote on its website. Plans were drawn up for a second tunnel, but construction bids were significantly higher than expected, so focus shifted to the construction of the bridge.

The benefits of the scheme are numerous: increased traffic capacity, reduced maintenance costs and the ability to handle vehicles prohibited from carrying hazardous materials in the tunnel.

Construction began in 1972 and the four-lane bridge opened five years later. The arched steel bridge recently carried approximately 11.3 million vehicles per year.

“From the city of Baltimore’s perspective, it helped provide an alternative to tunnel traffic,” said civil engineering historian Reuben Hull.

With a main span of 365.76 meters (1,200 feet), the bridge was the second longest continuous truss bridge in the world when it opened, and remains the second longest bridge in the United States and the third longest in the world, according to the American Bridge Institute. civil engineer. Its total length is 2,632.25 meters (8,636 feet).

Its condition before the collapse was rated “fair” according to the 2023 National Bridge Inventory released by the Federal Highway Administration last June. Inspectors rated its deck, substructure and superstructure (the components that absorb live traffic loads) as “satisfactory”.

Not to be confused with the similarly named six-lane bridge that carries U.S. Route 29 traffic across the Potomac River, connecting the communities of Roslyn, Virginia, and Georgetown, Washington, D.C.

Anita Kassof, executive director of the Baltimore Industrial Museum, said “Key” was chosen as the bridge’s name to honor the city’s resilience and perseverance in the face of tragedy.

‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ is a paean to American resilience, and Baltimore is a very resilient city,” she said. “We’ve been through a lot, we’ve been through a lot, and we’re going to get through this, too. “