Maryland Gov. Wes Moore says “aggressive timeline” to reopen channel after bridge collapse is realistic

Washington — Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said on Sunday that an “aggressive timeline” outlined by President Biden to reopen the channel to normal maritime operations after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge last month is “realistic,” noting that it’s going to be a “24/7 operation” to return it to full functioning by the end of May.

“It is an aggressive timeline, but we are going to work around the clock to make sure that we hit this timeline,” Moore said on “Face the Nation” on Sunday. 

The governor said he’s been “amazed” by the work so far, with channels having been opened up for some ships just in less than two weeks since the bridge’s March 26 collapse, which occurred when a Singapore-flagged container ship struck one of the bridge’s main supports.

“We have now moved hundreds of tons out of the river,” Moore said, noting that in just the last few days, crews have removed tons of debris from the river equivalent to the weight of the Statue of Liberty. 

As for broader efforts to rebuild and restore the economy after the collapse, Moore said “we’ve got a long road to recovery ahead of us.” But he noted that it’s already beginning.  

The comments come after the president visited Baltimore on Friday in a show of support after the bridge collapse, where he announced additional federal financial support to aid the city’s economy. Mr. Biden said that the government was “going to move heaven and earth to rebuild this bridge as rapidly as humanly possible.”

The president has made clear that the federal government should pay for the entire cost of its reconstruction, and that he expects Congress to support the effort. But it’s not yet clear whether there will be bipartisan backing among lawmakers for the funding.  

Moore said on Sunday that “this is not just a tragedy that has regional implications, but a tragedy that has national implications,” urging that “the ability for us to have a collective and a bipartisan response to its rebuild is imperative.”