500-ton truss from Key Bridge collapse removed from Patapsco River

BALTIMORE - One of two 500+ ton sections of truss from the Key Bridge collapse was removed from the river as salvage efforts continued Friday with the goal of fully opening the federal shipping channel.

The Unified Command shared photos of the movement with the majority of the substantial pieces beneath the water with the bottom chord of the lower section sitting buried in the mudline.

To assist with additional salvage work, the Fort Carroll Temporary Alternate Channel, a passageway for non-deep draft commercial ships with a depth of 20 feet and a width of 135 feet, will remain closed until 8 p.m. on Sunday. 

The 700-foot-wide main federal channel is expected to reopen by June 10.

Other temporary channels

In the meantime, there are three other temporary channels open for vessels.

The deepest channel opened two weeks ago, which allows larger ships access to the Port of Baltimore.

The Port of Baltimore said the 50-foot-deep, 400-foot-wide channel will be open around the clock with priority access to deep-draft vessels. They will require a Maryland State Police pilot and two tugboats as escorts.

The Hawkins Point Temporary Alternate Channel -- at 14 feet deep, 124 feet wide - is open 24 hours a day for non-deep draft vessels.

Sollers Point Temporary Alternate Channel is available for recreational vessels 24 hours each day with a depth of 11 feet and a width of 95 feet.