Maryland lawmakers face pushback on full federal funding for new Key Bridge at critical Senate hearing

BALTIMORE -- Who will pay for the next Key Bridge and how will it be protected if a massive ship strikes it? 

Those are among the questions senators worked to answer at a critical federal hearing before the U.S. Senate's Environment and Public Works Committee on Wednesday. 

Maryland lawmakers are fighting to get full federal funding, but some senators have concerns about whether federal tax dollars should foot the entire bill. 

"It has been a tradition in the United States of America of providing 100 percent support for states who have undergone this kind of tragedy," said Senator Chris Van Hollen. "We have been there for other states during their times of need, and we really hope every state represented in the Senate will be with us now."

90% funding

The estimated cost of the replacement Key Bridge is $1.7 billion. Right now, federal dollars are set to fund 90%, leaving a $170 million shortfall. 

Senator Ben Cardin stressed that any money recovered from lawsuits and the expected $350 million in insurance reimbursements would go back to federal taxpayers. 

"I admit it's going to take years before we uncover that, but there is at least very serious evidence that there could be wrongdoing in the manner in which the vessel was handled which could bring in substantial funds," Senator Cardin said. "That will go to the federal emergency relief fund, which it should."

Pushback on full funding

But some senators have their doubts about full funding, including Republican West Virginia Senator Shelley Moore Capito.

Capito acknowledged she would fight for her state like Maryland's delegation, but also said Maryland should repay some of the replacement costs with tolls. 

She noted there are other much-needed projects across the country vying for limited funds. 

"If Congress does not require Maryland to share in the cost of the Key Bridge, which will have a revenue source, how can Congress require any other recipient of…funding to pay their cost share?" Senator Capito asked.

Maryland leaders said the state is losing toll money and will be for the next four years the bridge is closed.

"Precedent" to pay 

Cardin said the economy cannot afford any construction delays and urged Congress to pass full emergency funds as they did after the collapse of Minnesota's I-35W bridge in 2007, although the political climate was different then.

"It would be penalizing the state of Maryland if you required us to use our toll facilities to pay our ten percent," Cardin testified. "We think that would be totally unfair."

Funding battle in the house

WJZ also spotlighted the funding fight in the U.S. House of Representatives where Congressman Kweisi Mfume said a vote will likely take place after Labor Day.

"What we're doing in advance is making sure the votes are there. You've got to know how to count votes if you can't do anything else because the tragedy would be for this to come in on the floor and fail," Mfume said. 

Safeguards against another ship strike 

Senators are also concerned about protections for the next bridge and noted most older bridges across the country lack safeguards to stop ever-larger cargo ships from striking them.

"That will be a key component of the future design…how do we do that whether it's through actual islands or moving the piers further apart," Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld told lawmakers. "In terms of other bridges that we own—the Chesapeake Bay Bridge—were looking at both immediate things we can do and the longer term, which obviously we would have to go through permitting to build anything around those existing piers. We also have a study underway to replace those bridges."

Lt. General Scott Spellmon of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers told lawmakers, "This bridge was completed in 1977. The neo-Panamax vessels like the Dali showed up in our waterways 40 years later. The concrete dolphins protecting piers 17 and 18 were clearly not sufficient for vessels of that size."

WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren recently took a closer look at vulnerable bridges and a safeguard system in Delaware. 

Maryland's transportation secretary also noted the wear and tear on alternate roadways while the Key Bridge is closed will cost the state in added maintenance. 

The bottom line from Maryland's delegation: They stressed they voted to help other states recover from their disasters who should now help Maryland in its time of need. 

"We recognize the significance not only to our state but also the entire country of that bridge being replaced quickly, so that is one of our principal focuses to do it right and do it quickly," Senator Cardin said.