Officials and families gathered Thursday along the Patapsco River to mark the second anniversary of the Key Bridge collapse that killed six roadworkers. The remembrance included a moment of silence in honor of the lives lost.
Leaders spoke over the hammering of crews installing protective pylons on the new bridge.
Gov. Wes Moore said the project remains on track and has federal support, despite past clashes with president Donald Trump.
“In January, I met with U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy,” Moore said. “As Secretary Duffy has noted, this is the fastest-moving large infrastructure project in the United States, and we plan on keeping it that way.”
He added that he and Duffy are also working closely on the American Legion Bridge connecting Maryland and Virginia.
“We remain committed to rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge with intentionality, speed and safety,” Moore said. “I’ll work with anybody to make sure we see that happen.”
He expects to cut the ribbon when the rebuilt bridge opens in 2030, two years later than initially projected.
Lieutenant Gov. Aruna Miller, a transportation engineer, said the collapse revealed something no textbook can capture.
“The human spirit—that, you don’t design. You witness it, you watch it rise, and you see it in the people,” she said.
Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman recalled that the six workers killed came from Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and El Salvador.
“Unfortunately, some of those families are not going out in public a whole lot these days, but in Maryland, we celebrate them,” Pittman said, drawing applause.
He spoke of his bond with the family of Miguel Luna, whose wife, Maria del Carmen, runs a Salvadoran food truck, and praised the “hard work and passion” of the local Salvadoran community.
Officials are working with families on a permanent memorial overlooking the new bridge, giving residents a place to honor the lives lost, Pittman said.
With costs for the rebuild ballooning, state transportation officials said they plan to negotiate with contractor Kiewit in the coming months.
