The shipping channel at the Port of Baltimore has fully reopened, 11 weeks after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed when it was struck by a cargo ship.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said the 700ft wide and 50ft deep channel has been restored to its original capacity and was now “safe for transit,” reported BBC News.
The Dali container ship crashed into the bridge on March 26, causing it to collapse, killing six construction workers, and cutting off the shipping artery. The FBI and U.S. Coast Guard are investigating the incident.
Temporary channels to and from the port were opened in April, and the ship was refloated and removed May 20. Crews have had to remove 50,000 tonnes of wreckage, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said.
Baltimore District Commander Colonel Estee Pinchasin said in a statement: “Although the overarching goal to restore full operational capacity to the Federal Channel was successful, each day we thought of those who lost their lives, their families and the workers impacted by this tragic event.”
Rebuilding the span will take more than four years and cost up to $1.9bn, state authorities in Maryland have said.
