Francis Scott Key Bridge (Baltimore)

Francis Scott Key Bridge
File:The Francis Scott Key Bridge (Baltimore).jpg The former Francis Scott Key Bridge, viewed from Fort Armistead Park at Hawkins Point on the south shore of the outer Patapsco River – southeastern corner of Baltimore City (2015)
Coordinates
Carried	4 lanes of File:Toll plate yellow.svg File:I-695.svg I-695
Crossed	Patapsco River
Locale	Baltimore, Maryland
Maintained by	Maryland Transportation Authority
ID number	300000BCZ472010
Characteristics
Design	Steel arch-shaped truss bridge
Material	Steel
Total length	8,636 feet (2,632.3 m; 1.6 mi)
Longest span	1,200 feet (366 m)
Clearance above	185 feet (56 m)
History
Construction start	1972
Opened	March 23, 1977 (1977-Mar-23)
Destroyed	March 26, 2024 (2024-Mar-26)
Statistics
Toll	Yes (before collapse)
Location

The Francis Scott Key Bridge was a steel arch truss bridge spanning the lower Patapsco River in the outer Baltimore Harbor, connecting Route 695 between Baltimore and Dundalk, Maryland, United States. The bridge was the outermost of three toll road crossings of Baltimore Harbor's two tunnels and one bridge.

Construction of the bridge began in 1972 and was completed in 1977, and opened to traffic on March 23, 1977. It was one of the world's longest truss bridges. The main span of 1,200 feet (366 m), was the third longest truss bridge in the world.

It was originally known as the Outer Harbor Crossing until it was renamed in 1976, while still under construction, and was also known as simply the Key Bridge or Beltway Bridge.

The bridge was named for the American amateur poet Francis Scott Key (1779–1843), the author of the American national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner".

On March 26, 2024, at 01:27 EDT (05:27 UTC), the bridge's center span collapsed after the Singaporean container ship Dali collided with one of the bridge's pillars. At least seven vehicles fell into the water. Two people were recovered from the river, one person had no injuries while the other was in "very serious condition". Six members of a construction crew were working on the roadway when it collapsed are missing, presumed dead. 2 bodies have been found.