Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy wants to talk with Maryland Gov. Wes Moore about the rising cost estimates for rebuilding Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge and signaled plans for increased oversight of the effort, which by law the federal government must pay in full.
In a letter to Moore dated Thursday, Duffy wrote asking to talk to the Democratic governor about “the latest estimates of the overall cost and schedule for completion” to “provide oversight to ensure the funds are used appropriately.” In a press release accompanying the letter, Duffy cited his concerns about POLITICO reporting that the cost estimates for rebuilding have ballooned from an initial $1.9 billion to more than $5 billion.
Moore’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but on Aug. 29, David Turner, senior adviser to Moore, said “preliminary cost and schedule estimates … were based on rough order of magnitude calculations” and that Congress was informed about that uncertainty before they enacted into law a guarantee to pay for the full costs. “The yet unknown impact of the Trump Administration’s tariff and economic policies has injected additional uncertainty into the process, as the cost of raw materials and labor remains constantly in flux,” Turner added.
Kiewit Infrastructure Co., the company selected to undertake the bridge’s design and construction, did not respond to a request for comment.
