Key Bridge Bridge rebuild
Baltimore, Maryland
The Francis Scott Key Bridge is a defining link in the I‑695 Baltimore Beltway, carrying regional commuters, freight, and maritime activity across the Patapsco River. As one of Maryland’s most significant transportation corridors, the crossing plays a central role in supporting the economic vitality of the Port of Baltimore and the broader Mid‑Atlantic region. Its replacement offers a rare opportunity to shape a next‑generation piece of infrastructure that strengthens connectivity while elevating the visual and civic identity of the harbor.
To deliver this transformative project, the State of Maryland has initiated an accelerated progressive design‑build effort led by Kiewit Infrastructure, with Donald MacDonald Architects serving as the bridge architect. This delivery model enables deep collaboration between designers, engineers, and stakeholders from the outset, ensuring that technical performance, environmental stewardship, and architectural expression advance in concert. The approach reflects the state’s commitment to innovation, efficiency, and design excellence on one of the most consequential infrastructure investments in its history.
The new Key Bridge will become Maryland’s first highway cable‑stayed structure, distinguished by its monumental clarity and purposeful form. With a 230‑foot navigational clearance, twin towers rising 600 feet above the water, and an overall length exceeding two miles, the bridge will establish a new benchmark for engineering ambition and architectural elegance. More than a functional crossing, it is envisioned as a symbolic gateway to Baltimore; an expression of resilience, civic pride, and the transformative potential of 21st‑century infrastructure.
Client – Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA)
Location – Baltimore
Timeline – 2024-present
Bridge Engineer – Kiewit Engineering Group Inc, International Bridge Technologies Systra, and COWI North America Inc
Overall Length – 11,015′
Type – Cable Stayed
Main Span – 1,665′
Spans – 48
Deck Width – 80′
Tower Height – 600′
Additional Media On This Project
A NEW CIVIC LANDMARK TO CARRY BALTIMORE FORWARD
As bridge architect for the Key Bridge Rebuild, Donald MacDonald Architects is leading the development of the project’s defining architectural elements, from the signature chevron‑shaped towers to the approach structures and the full suite of typical details. The team is conducting extensive visual simulations, proportion studies, and aesthetic analyses to refine the tower geometry, ensuring the chevron form expresses both structural clarity and a strong civic identity for the Patapsco River crossing. Parallel efforts focus on the approach spans, where DMD is shaping a cohesive architectural language that carries the bridge’s visual rhythm seamlessly from land to main span, including the careful integration of barriers, lighting, and bridge profiles that balance safety, durability, and an elegant, unified appearance.
In addition to the primary structures, DMD is developing a family of special elements that reinforce the bridge’s role as a gateway to Baltimore. Throughout the process, the firm is collaborating closely with engineers and stakeholders to ensure that every architectural component, from the tower cross‑sections to the smallest repeating detail, advances the project’s goals for resilience, constructability, and enduring visual impact.
