BALTIMORE — The cost of clearing the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge from the Patapsco River in Baltimore has risen roughly 42% since July, to more than $71 million.
Maryland officials initially awarded a $50 million contract to Skanska, a Swedish construction company with a U.S. headquarters in New York, for clearing large sections of highway bridge trusses, steel girders, the main bridge deck and concrete parapets.
The $21 million increase, which the Board of Public Works is expected to approve Oct. 2, covers the cost of cranes, large hopper barges, labor and equipment for an additional two weeks of work and processing of steel from the bridge’s main span, which wasn’t considered in the original cost estimate, according to state meeting documents.
“The contract modification is needed to compensate Skanska for the total work on this emergency procurement,” a spokesperson for the Maryland Transportation Authority said in a statement Monday.
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Meanwhile, the number of lawsuits filed against Grace Ocean Private Ltd. and Synergy Marine Group — the respective owner and manager of the Dali cargo ship that collided with one of the bridge’s support piers and caused it to collapse, killing six people — has risen, too.
The Justice Department has alleged that the companies recklessly cut corners and ignored electrical problems on the Dali, and it’s seeking more than $100 million to cover the federal cost of clearing debris and reopening the port, according to The Associated Press.
Families of the six men killed, the company that employed them and a road worker who leaped to safety during the collapse have either filed or are expected to file claims.
Maryland officials announced a new lawsuit Tuesday echoing several other recent filings. The state’s claim seeks punitive damages against Grace Ocean Private Ltd. And Synergy Marine Group as well as costs associated with cleaning up the wreckage and rebuilding the bridge. It also cites lost toll revenues, environmental contamination, damage to the state’s natural resources and other damages. Officials said they’re still working to quantify the total monetary loss.
Removing parts of the bridge from the Port of Baltimore’s federal channel fell to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, while the state was responsible for removing debris elsewhere, including from temporary channels through which salvage vessels and commercial ships passed during the 11 weeks that the full federal channel was closed.
Early estimates for the Key Bridge removal, which were based on Skanska’s demolition of the old Gov. Harry W. Nice Memorial/Sen. Thomas “Mac” Middleton Bridge, changed after contracting employees and subcontractors arrived on site, BPW meeting documents state.
The company found that large sections of the Key Bridge had settled into the bottom of the river, requiring team members to find and mobilize specialized equipment.
The state and Skanska pushed their initial timeline back two weeks, and the additional work and equipment added another $21 million to the contract.
The Skanska contract was administered through the Maryland Transportation Authority, an independent state agency responsible for the state’s eight toll facilities, including the Key Bridge.
The state has covered its contract using money set aside from toll revenue, but officials are expected to apply for federal reimbursement.
A portion of the proceeds from a $350 million Chubb insurance payout are also available to cover debris removal and salvage work, according to the MDTA.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.