Italian contractor Webuild has put forward a proposal to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, which collapsed on the 26 March after being hit by a container ship.
The company is suggesting that the steel-truss bridge, which opened in 1977, be replaced by a longer cable-stayed design.
Webuild’s proposal would mean the bridge had a clearance of 65m, a 700m span and pylons positioned in shallow water, away from the navigation channel. It would also have two extra lanes for cars and wider emergency lanes.
The design was drafted in collaboration with MIT professor Carlo Ratti and French structural engineer Michel Virlogeux.
Pietro Salini, Webuild’s chief executive, said: “We will take part, on 7 May, in the Maryland Transportation Authority’s virtual industry forum for the reconstruction of the bridge, and we are ready to help in any way we can at this stage in the spirit of pro bono service.
“The design concept of the bridge that we have been working on incessantly during this past month will represent a key contribution towards the design and reconstruction or new construction of the bridge.”
Webuild has experience of replacing collapsed bridges, having previously built a replacement for the Ponte Morandi bridge in Genoa. Its San Giorgio Bridge was designed by Renzo Piano and opened in 2020, after a construction period of a little over a year.
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