Page 30 - Port of Baltimore - Issue 2 2024
P. 30
PORT VIEW
1975-78 | PATAPSCO RIVER
1975
BY TINA IRGANG LEADERMAN
Construction of the Key Bridge
1976
When the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed on March 26, it had been carrying traffic across the Patapsco River for almost exactly 47 years.
The bridge opened to traffic on a Wednesday — March 23, 1977 — at 10 a.m. Construction of the bridge had begun in 1972, following years of planning and the rejection of the original project concept for the site, which would have seen the construction of an underwater tunnel.
These images, provided by the Baltimore Museum of Industry, show various phases of the bridge’s construction. The final image, taken in 1978, depicts the passage of a cargo ship below the completed bridge.
1978
The images above were provided by The Baltimore Museum of Industry. Visit the museum for exhibitions and collections that document the lives of the workers who helped to propel this city to greatness. thebmi.org
[28] The Port of Baltimore ■ ISSUE 2 / 2024
