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ICTD 2025

Freight & Logistics

Freight Operations and Truck Parking – Situational Assessment, Challenges, and Opportunities

When Bridges Fall: Unveiling the Costs of Road Freight Detours After the Francis Scott Key Collapse

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

10:00 AM – 10:15 AM MT

Primary Author(s)

YG

Yaobang Gong, Ph.D.

Faculty Assistant
University of Maryland, College Park
College Park, Maryland, United States

Presenter(s)

YG

Yaobang Gong, Ph.D.

Faculty Assistant
University of Maryland, College Park
College Park, Maryland, United States

Co-Author(s)

Yi Zhang

Ph.D. Candidate
University of Maryland
College Park, MD, United States

Presenter(s)

Yi Zhang

Ph.D. Candidate
University of Maryland
College Park, MD, United States

Co-Author(s)

KY

Kaitai Yang, n/a

Ph.D. Candidate
University of Maryland
College Park, Maryland, United States
XY

Xianfeng (Terry) Yang, Ph.D., M.ASCE

Associate Professor
University of Maryland, College Park
College Park, Maryland, United States

Submitter(s)

YG

Yaobang Gong, Ph.D.

Faculty Assistant
University of Maryland, College Park
College Park, Maryland, United States

Abstract: On March 26, 2024, the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore suffered a catastrophic collapse when the container ship MV Dali collided with a support pillar. This collapse has had profound impacts on the road freight transportation industry in the region. Utilizing over two million truck trajectories, this study aimed to quantify these impacts by analyzing changes in travel times, detour patterns, and the incurred operational costs associated with the bridge collapse. The investigation reveals that, depending on the type of truck and the alternative routes used, average travel times increased by up to 58% for trucks traveling through Baltimore. Heavy-duty trucks experienced more significant travel time increases due to restrictions in the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel and forced detours to the longer I-695 Western Sections because of prohibitions on transporting hazardous materials through the tunnels. The impact of rerouting extends beyond the detour routes to connecting arterials, alternative arterials when the freeways are congested, and further upstream and downstream freeway sections. An economic analysis demonstrated a substantial increase in operational costs for the road freight transportation sector in the Baltimore area following the collapse. Assuming current conditions remain unchanged, the region-wide annual increase of around 1.1 million hours in travel time translates to an additional $93 million in operational costs annually. This underscores the significant broader economic implications of the Key Bridge collapse.

Learning Objectives:

Attendees can expect to learn the following from this session:

Upon completion, the participant will be able to describe the changes in travel times and detour patterns for road freight transportation following the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse.
Upon completion, the participant will be able to quantify the operational cost increases for different types of freight trucks impacted by the detours and restrictions in the Baltimore area.
Upon completion, the participant will be able to evaluate the broader economic impacts of increased travel times and detour routes on the road freight transportation industry in Baltimore.