US fast-tracks £48m aid for Maryland after catastrophic bridge collapse

The US government has provided the state of Maryland with £48 million in emergency aid following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. Officials predict the cost of rebuilding the bridge could soar to £1.6 billion.

The bridge collapsed early Tuesday morning after a massive cargo ship, having lost power, collided with its structure.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore requested £48 million on Friday, and remarkably, the Federal Highway Administration of the Department of Transportation USA approved this request within mere hours.

While such funding typically requires several days, President Joe Biden informed reporters on Tuesday that he had directed the federal government to "move heaven and earth" to expedite the bridge's reconstruction, according to Reuters.

"These funds will act as a preliminary advance on the initial costs, with more funds from the emergency aid program to be made available as the project progresses," the Department of Transportation declared.

Early estimates for the rebuilding expenses, likely to be borne by the federal government, are around £480 million, as reported by IMPLAN, a firm specializing in economic analysis.

Yet, federal officials have indicated that the costs could escalate to over £1.6 billion, Reuters reported.

Constructed in the 1970s, the bridge's main span stretched 366 metres, with a total length of nearly 2630 metres. Annually, it was traversed by over 11 million vehicles.

The bridge was an integral part of the Interstate 695, a beltway encircling Baltimore, widely referred to as the Baltimore Beltway.