[RLM]

I have to call BS on this. The Port of Baltimore is not dependent on the bridge when in fact rail and truck shipments don’t use the bridge anyway, and what few trucks may use the bridge simply go a few miles out of their way to avoid the route across the bridge. The impairment to the port is the blockage of the assess channel caused by the fallen bridge structure. Except for possible bureaucratic ineptness, once the bridge structure is cleared from the main channel enough to allow passage of ships, the port is no longer affected.

[Jonty30]

While they will probably be able to smooth something out, to minimize time, the reroute does not look simple or minimal.

https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/travel-around-francis-scott-key-bridge-collapse-baltimore-traffic/

[Jonty30]

This news article says it will add about 30 miles to a trucker’s route. When you include the additional trucks, that seems like it’s a lot of time.

https://www.fleetowner.com/safety/article/21285334/how-baltimores-francis-scott-key-bridge-collapse-affects-truck-traffic-and-fleet-operations

[cyclotic]

You’ve obviously never been to Baltimore. The bridge is the route of choice for trucks and required for anything oversized, flammable or hazardous. The option is the Baltimore beltway which is 30-50 miles around and usually jammed up. Hour and a half minimum.

The tunnels work but I went through the other day. It added two hours to my trip.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

IN a dire emergency I’m sure they could get plenty of tugs, cutting torches, and move the debris that’s blocking the channel. Not all of the bridge has to be moved in order to reopen the shipping lanes. I realize that a well planned and methodical removal would be the most efficient way to do it but it would take a long time. I’m talking about just dragging the metal to the side where the ships don’t go and throw up some warning buoys.

[Pollard]

Yeah seems some are blowing this out of proportion. Like this one tiny section of a single bay is going to shut down the economy.

0.001% of our coastline is shut down OMG

[grey_whiskers]

You’re wrong.
1) HAZMAT trucks CANNOT use the Harbor Tunnel. They have to go 3/4 of the way the long way, clockwise, using the Baltimore Beltway (695). That’s ...roughly 40 miles. In what is heavy traffic anyway.
2) With the ship down, a lot of the port is blocked and ships can’t go in and out.
3) One has to check to see what happened to the channel dredged for ships in the vicinity of bridge.
4) The bridge/wreck is also right over a high pressure underground gas line. Be extra careful digging.

[jmacusa]

In a related story didn’t Sleepy Joe tell us he was going to build a rail road to China?

How’s that going?