Temporary alternate channel to pass commercially essential vessels around Key Bridge cleanup
Source: Baltimore Sun
PUBLISHED: March 31, 2024 at 10:42 p.m. | UPDATED: March 31, 2024 at 10:56 p.m.
Officials are planning to resume limited maritime traffic around the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. The captain of the port is preparing to establish a temporary alternate channel on the northeast side of the main channel for commercially essential vessels, according to a news release Sunday night from the Unified Command.
“This will mark an important first step along the road to reopening the port of Baltimore,” Coast Guard Capt. David O’Connell, the federal on-scene coordinator of the Key Bridge Response 2024, said in the release. “By opening this alternate route, we will support the flow of marine traffic into Baltimore.”
Officials did not immediately respond to a question about when the channel would open.
Vessel traffic to and from the Port of Baltimore’s numerous terminals has been blocked since early Tuesday, when the bridge was struck by a freighter and crumbled, killing six people. Two bodies were recovered while four more people are presumed dead. Workers began removing parts of the bridge Sunday.
Read more: https://www.baltimoresun.com/2024/03/31/temporary-alternate-channel-key-bridge/
Link to Key Bridge Response Unified Command PRESS RELEASE - Second March 31st Update from Key Bridge Response Unified Command