Maryland's Transportation Authority (MDTA) says that replacing Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge could cost as much as $5.2 billion, more than double the previous estimate.

In a November 17 release, MDTA said that it expects the new bridge to be open to traffic some time in late 2030. The prior estimate made in May of 2024 had put costs around $1.9 billion, with an opening date of 2028. But, as design and pre-construction work progressed, it became clear that material costs for all aspects of the project have increased "drastically" since preliminary estimates were prepared, said MDTA Chair Samantha Biddle.

“The updated cost range and schedule are directly correlated to increased material costs, and to a robust pier protection system designed to protect the new Key Bridge, and reduce the likelihood of a future ship strike to the bridge’s foundational piers," Biddle explained.

Although Biddle didn't specify exactly what it was that led to the higher costs, she did note that national economic conditions have changed "significantly" over the last 18 months, and that highway construction costs have risen by roughly 72% over the last five years. Additionally, effective tariff rates on U.S. construction material imports have grown by at least 20% since May, according to a June 2025 analysis from Oxford Economics, while the National Association of Home Builders estimates that building material costs have risen 34% since December 2020.

To limit the burden on taxpayers, MDTA will continue to pursue damages from the Singapore-based owners of the Dali container ship that struck and collapsed the Key Bridge in March 2024. The State of Maryland filed a lawsuit against the owners and operators of the Dali in September 2024, demanding that the companies cover the costs from cleaning up the crash and rebuilding the bridge.