A new design for the collapsed Baltimore Bridge has been unveiled.
Initial proposals for a replacement bridge included wider spans and improved clearance heights to minimize the possibility of collisions.
Italian design firm Carlo Ratti Associati (CRA) has been working with structural engineer Michel Villerosiou and international construction group Webbuild on the proposed reconstruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
On March 26, the container ship MV Dali collided with one of the piers, causing the vast space to collapse.
In a proposal letter to the U.S. Secretary of State for Transportation, the Governor of Maryland, and the Director of the Maryland Port Authority, Webuild CEO Pietro Salini wrote: Restore this strategic bridge for regional mobility.
“We will be participating in the Maryland State Transportation Authority’s (MDTA) virtual industry forum to help rebuild the bridge, and in a pro bono spirit, we stand ready to assist in any way we can at this time.”
The design follows a cable-stayed approach and improves several functional features of the old bridge, increasing its safety and long-term adaptability.
By increasing the bridge’s main span from 1,200 feet to 2,230 feet (700 meters), the main columns will be located in very shallow water (approximately 23 feet deep), well away from navigation channels used by large ships.
“This effort is aimed at ensuring that accidents like the one that caused the collapse of the old bridge last March never happen again,” the CRA said.
The design also increases clearance from 185 feet to 230 feet (70 meters) in accordance with the latest shipping industry standards, allowing the Port of Baltimore to continue to be a major international port.
The concept also proposes a larger roadway with new lanes added in each direction to accommodate increased vehicle capacity and handle heavy traffic crossing the bridge.
The project was designed by the renowned French consulting engineer and designer who designed some of the world’s most important cable-stayed bridges, including Lisbon’s Vasco da Gama Bridge and the Millau Viaduct in Occitania, the tallest bridge on earth. , designed in collaboration with Michel Villerojeux. France.
The Baltimore design was developed for the international construction organization Webbuild, whose Italian branch helped rebuild the Morandi Bridge in Genoa, Italy, which collapsed in August 2018 due to severe weather, in record time. It was carried out in
said Carlo Ratti, professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and founding partner of the CRA-Carlo Ratti Association. This will help prevent the risk of a tragedy like the one on March 26 happening again.
“This approach also provides a lightweight solution for reconnecting both the social and economic aspects of Baltimore, which is what America’s infrastructure should strive for in the 21st century.”
The CRA added, “The new bridge will once again become a shining symbol for the city of Baltimore and the entire United States, providing a gateway to one of the most important shipping ports on the East Coast.”
