Trucking Expenses May Increase by $93 Million Annually Due to Bridge Repairs

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Researchers have projected that the closure of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March will lead to a rise in operating expenses for the Mid-Atlantic trucking sector by $92.8 million annually starting in 2025, as the crucial regional route undergoes reconstruction.

A section of the Key Bridge collapsed March 26 after a containership, MV Dali 3, collided with a support pillar, diverting traffic onto alternate, longer routes, particularly for carriers and drayage companies serving the Port of Baltimore.

The port reopened in June, but the bridge is not scheduled to be ready for trucks until 2028, if work remains on schedule, which is likely to impose a total of $446 million in overall operating costs for carriers, a study by University of Maryland and Morgan State University researchers shows.

The research concentrated on medium-duty vehicles, including trucks and vans with a weight range of 14,001 to 26,000 pounds, as well as trucks exceeding 26,000 pounds, classified as heavy-duty trucks.

Assuming current conditions remain unchanged, a regionwide annual increase of around 1.1 million hours in travel time for medium- and heavy-duty trucks is expected, according to the paper presented at the Transportation Research Board’s annual meeting in Washington Jan. 6.

Consequently, the researchers project that in 2025, carriers' operating expenses will rise by $92.8 million. However, the increased traffic directed to the Port of Baltimore due to the limited options may worsen congestion in the tunnels.

The research indicated that, based on the type of truck and the alternative routes taken, average