WASHINGTON: There are plans to rebuild a bridge that collapsed in the US state of Maryland in just over four years at an estimated cost of up to $1.9 billion (€1.77bn), a transportation official has said.
The state plans to build a new structure in Baltimore by autumn of 2028, said David Broughton, a spokesman for the Maryland Department of Transportation.
He said the cost estimate is preliminary, and detailed engineering specifics have not been confirmed.
As salvage efforts continue, authorities announced earlier this week that they had recovered the body of a fifth person who died when the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed on 26 March.
He was identified by officials as Miguel Angel Luna Gonzalez, 49, of Glen Burnie, Maryland.
Six members of a crew carrying out roadworks on the bridge were killed when a container ship lost power and crashed into one of its supporting columns.
All of the victims were Latino immigrants who came to the United States from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.
“We continue to pray for Miguel Angel Luna Gonzalez, his family and all those who love him, acknowledging the anguish they have experienced since the Key Bridge collapsed,” Maryland Governor Wes Moore said in a statement.
“We pray for comfort, we pray for healing, and we pray for peace in knowing that their loved one has finally come home.”