When the 1,200-foot-long Francis Scott Key Bridge opened in 1977, its enormous steel-truss design was the state of the art for river crossings. But in the decades since, a more modern design that has gained favor could replace the span that was destroyed in March when a cargo ship struck it.
The National Transportation Safety Board is expected to release its preliminary investigation this month into the circumstances of the Key Bridge's collapse into the Patapsco River, which killed six construction workers. Meanwhile, authorities must decide how to replace the structure, which used to carry 40,000 vehicles each day.
