Key Bridge in Baltimore collapses into Patapsco River in Baltimore after vessel crashes into support column

[smurfierthanthou]

3/31 over here 🙋‍♀️ just hoping we embark and disembark in the same place at this point 

[aborgman]

4 minutes ago, Afttastic said:

 

I-95 in Philadelphia after the overpass fire was rebuilt within 2 weeks. Then again, they didn't have to remove 5,000 feet of steel from 50 foot waters.

 

The I-95 overpass was a 104 foot span.

 

The collapsed section of the Key bridge are at least 3000+ feet.

[SRF]

22 minutes ago, CatDadWV said:

I hope they announce their plans soon, as I'm booked on the transatlantic sailing departing 15-April.  I have flight and hotel bookings that I need to change.  Not a peep on their website as of yet.

Same here

[shipgeeks]

17 minutes ago, Afttastic said:

 

 

Thanks - was a thought but wasn't sure. I thought I read a few years ago Philadelphia terminal was used for some cruises - must have been the smaller ships with 100-200 passengers. 😄

We sailed out of Philadelphia on RC Empress of the Seas, and Celebrity Zenith. Smaller than Legend or Vision, but hardly 200 pax.

[nc762shooter]

4 hours ago, aborgman said:

 

No it's the 1,200 span PLUS the spans cantilevered on the opposite sides of the piers.

 

Look at the image -

 

 

 

I would imagine the initial focus will be clearing the debris from that 1200' span or another section if it has sufficient depth. They don't need to clear everything in order to resume maritime and shipping traffic. A single clear channel and shipping can resume, likely at a slower rate, but better than nothing.

 

Sadly by now any rescue efforts are going to be recovery efforts due to water temperature, which will shift the main focus to reopening the harbor.

[VaTech8912]

6 hours ago, mz-s said:

 

They are renovating the Norfolk port this year to support year round operations next year when Sunshine arrives. I don't know if they would be ready to get Norfolk up and running now.

 

I live in Norfolk and it does not appear any work has started from what I can see from outside.  No construction vehicles, etc.

 

[sparks1093]

19 minutes ago, aborgman said:

 

The I-95 overpass was a 104 foot span.

 

The collapsed section of the Key bridge are at least 3000+ feet.

You know, I rather suspect that everyone who is citing another bridge collapse (including myself) is well aware of the differences. What will be similar is the rapid response as a result of the incident. Replacing the bridge is going to take some time, but it will still be fast tracked. Clearing the shipping channel will also take time, but no one will be dragging their feet. Since this bridge was originally opened in 1977 (after about 5 years being built) it wouldn't surprise me at all to find out that preliminary discussions and planning have been taking place long before this (quite possibly for years, given the normal speed of things). 

[VaTech8912]

2 hours ago, toad455 said:

Question now becomes is where will the Legend be headed until the harbor can reopen. News reports are saying a month at best. Manhattan? Norfolk is not available currently.

 

I live in Norfolk and can see no work being done on the terminal as of yet.  Maybe it is only on inside right now, but no construction vehicles, etc. but maybe I have missed them.

[VaTech8912]

1 hour ago, At Sea At Peace said:

 

It's the long awaited reconstruction of the terminal, however, only Carnival will be totally shut out during the construction per previous reports.

 

https://www.wavy.com/news/local-news/norfolk/norfolk-cruise-terminal-to-close-for-renovations-in-2024/#:~:text=The city approved %2412 million,be bustling with construction crews

 

Princess (5), TUI (3) and Crystal (1) are still on (for a very limited schedule) ~

 

 

 

I live here and have not seen any work started as of yet.  Maybe they are working on the inside, but as I have passed it randomly, no construction vehicles seen.  Could have missed them though.

 

[KmomChicago]

50 minutes ago, Afttastic said:

 

 

Thanks - was a thought but wasn't sure. I thought I read a few years ago Philadelphia terminal was used for some cruises - must have been the smaller ships with 100-200 passengers. 😄

Well, keep in mind cruise ships built before 1990 were often 50,000 tons or smaller. So, it’s completely possible Philly was in the game even with those that held in the neighborhood of a thousand. Sovereign class and Fantasy class were game changers but the smaller ships were still around for a while.

[pcvtmom]

I'm on the Pride (Tampa to Baltimore??) repositioning cruise from April 7 to April 21. I feel like there will be time to find an alternate port between now and the 21st, and my first thought was Norfolk. I know they are planning to rebuild, to prepare for the arrival of the Sunshine in 2025, since Charleston will no longer accept ships. Depending on how far along the progress is, perhaps Norfolk is still a possibility. I guess speculation is all we can do at the moment.

[KmomChicago]

36 minutes ago, smurfierthanthou said:

3/31 over here 🙋‍♀️ just hoping we embark and disembark in the same place at this point 

Good luck; hope you get to sail.

[paulypride]

19 minutes ago, VaTech8912 said:

 

I live in Norfolk and it does not appear any work has started from what I can see from outside.  No construction vehicles, etc.

 

This is good news then. This would be the ideal location to likely move these cruises over to.  Although public transportation - trains, buses, planes would be easier from NYC area.

[aborgman]

17 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

You know, I rather suspect that everyone who is citing another bridge collapse (including myself) is well aware of the differences. What will be similar is the rapid response as a result of the incident. Replacing the bridge is going to take some time, but it will still be fast tracked. Clearing the shipping channel will also take time, but no one will be dragging their feet. Since this bridge was originally opened in 1977 (after about 5 years being built) it wouldn't surprise me at all to find out that preliminary discussions and planning have been taking place long before this (quite possibly for years, given the normal speed of things). 

 

I don't think there will be a rapid response.

 

They will go as fast as possible - but looking at things like the I-35 bridge collapse in Minnesota, the Bay Bridge repairs after Loma Prieta, etc... it'll be a while.

 

The Minnesota I-35 bridge carried over 4x as much traffic (~140,000 vehicles per day vs. ~31,000 per day for the Key bridge), only had a 450' span - and took over a year to repair.

[Old Fart Cruisers]

59 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

Worrying about paying for the replacement is WAY down the list of what anybody should be worried about.  

I agree, but it's better to know who is going to pay BEFORE all the bureaucrats waste time arguing about where the money will come from before they start their plan of action.

[sparks1093]

2 minutes ago, aborgman said:

 

I don't think there will be a rapid response.

 

They will go as fast as possible - but looking at things like the I-35 bridge collapse in Minnesota, the Bay Bridge repairs after Loma Prieta, etc... it'll be a while.

 

The Minnesota I-35 bridge carried over 4x as much traffic (~140,000 vehicles per day vs. ~31,000 per day for the Key bridge), only had a 450' span - and took over a year to repair.

We are talking a year or two, most certainly, but since it took 5 years to build the original that is lightning fast. Given the impact on commuting in the area I would hope they don't drag their feet (of course anything is possible). 

[jimbo5544]

6 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

We are talking a year or two, most certainly, but since it took 5 years to build the original that is lightning fast. Given the impact on commuting in the area I would hope they don't drag their feet (of course anything is possible). 

Agreed, there is absolutely zero change of getting a new bridge in a year.  I doubt that they could clear all the pieces (not just the shipping channel) in that time (which will be the number one priority once rescue and recovery are completed).  

[SRF]

5 years to BUILD means more like 10 years from start of planning.

[jimbo5544]

Both the original key bridge and replacement Skyway bridge took 5 years.   

[jimbo5544]

One more ray of sunshine for all the optimists.  Where is the vast majority of steel produced.  

[PA Dutchman]

1 hour ago, Afttastic said:

 

I-95 in Philadelphia after the overpass fire was rebuilt within 2 weeks. Then again, they didn't have to remove 5,000 feet of steel from 50 foot waters.

 

I'm curious to see if they go with the quick route to get a replacement up as quickly as possible, or take their time to design one with more safeguards and a higher span that would eventually lead to larger ships coming to the port.

to replace the bridge, 2 years,  just get the channel cleaned out so ships can go thru

 

[jimbo5544]

3 minutes ago, PA Dutchman said:

to replace the bridge, 2 years,  just get the channel cleaned out so ships can go thru

 

Not a chance

[WhaleTailFlCruiser]

This reminds me of when the cargo ship hit the old skyway bridge here in Tampa. I wasn’t alive for it but the article ext on it were quite horrific. 
 

Hopefully search and rescue saved everyone. I can imagine the fear of being on that bridge and having it fall out from under you. 

[sparks1093]

9 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

Agreed, there is absolutely zero change of getting a new bridge in a year.  I doubt that they could clear all the pieces (not just the shipping channel) in that time (which will be the number one priority once rescue and recovery are completed).  

I read that one expert was predicting 1 month to clear the channel. I don't have a dog in the fight since we stopped sailing out of Baltimore but I do wish the folks that live in that area well and hope that no one drags their feet in getting things back to normal.

[toad455]

The port of Baltimore is key for a lot of cargo ships. News reports are saying it'll take at least a month to clear out the harbor for cargo (& cruise) ships to be allowed to enter again.