Wednesday marks one year since a drifting cargo ship knocked out the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, killing six road workers and temporarily blocking one of the nation's busiest seaports.
The disaster exposed the danger of failing to upgrade outdated transportation infrastructure, yet the list of bridges in need of repair or replacement all across the country has only grown.
The number of bridges classified as fair or poor and due for repair or replacement ticked up from 346,424 to 348,359 in the months since the bridge collapse, according to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
"We've changed nothing," said Beth Osborne, director of advocacy group Transportation for America. "I think in Maryland, it raised a much stronger conversation because it was them dealing with it. I don't think that that has translated to any other state of the union."
The Key Bridge, opened in 1977, lacked modern protection systems designed to help the structure's supports withstand impact from a ship that became standard after 1991.
Coast Guard records obtained and analyzed as part of a 2024 Scripps News investigation revealed ships frequently running into bridges all over the country with enough force to require emergency inspections.
At least 650 vessels have hit bridges since 2019, the data showed.
Last week, the National Transportation Safety Board published a list of 68 older bridges that should be evaluated for a similar risk of ship collisions. The structures named include the Brooklyn Bridge in New York and the Golden Gate Bridge in California.
Congress and the Biden Administration approved new funding to fix thousands of decaying bridges, but since President Donald Trump resumed office, money for roads has become harder to shake loose in some cases as the administration seeks to prevent waste and cut government spending.
The Department of Transportation announced a pause on releasing grant funding for previously awarded projects that have not been fully green-lit until each is reviewed for compliance with Trump's executive orders, including those prohibiting diversity initiatives.
Scripps News has learned bridge projects on hold include a replacement for the Cape Fear Memorial bridge in Wilmington, N.C., nearing the end of its lifespan.
"Across the board, we're hearing stories about people being told to pump the brakes," Osborne said.
The Transportation Department did not answer a question about how long the funds will remain frozen.
"The American people are eager to see fewer of their tax dollars subsidizing a woke DEI ideology, radical Green New Deal projects, or other wasteful programs," a statement from the department said. "Grants focused on relieving congestion and bolstering safety are and will be the priority for President Trump and Secretary (Sean) Duffy."
