Francis Scott Key Bridge, bridge collapse, transportation, supply chain, USA United States of America, Baltimore, Interstate 695, Maryland, transportation system, transportation network, infrastructure
A major trade route will be disrupted, and supply networks that are already under strain will become even more tangled due to the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore, which shut off access to a large portion of the city's port. The Port of Baltimore, which ranks 17th in the US in terms of total tons in 2021, is a significant hub for the transportation of coal, automobiles, and construction equipment. Maryland statistics show that in 2023, it handled 52.3 million tons of international freight valued at around $81 billion and employs over 15,000 people (Lerman et al., 2024). The US supply chain was significantly impacted by the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore, which also highlighted the significance of resilient infrastructure. This essay will examine the impacts of the bridge collapse on the transportation system, the impacts of the bridge collapse on the US supply chain, and the possible causes.
[...] The Francis Scott Key Bridge might have collapsed under external pressures if it had not been built to endure harsh weather circumstances or adequately reinforced against natural forces. Another possible element that could have contributed to the fall is human error. Structural collapses in bridges can be caused by errors in load calculations, during construction or maintenance, or by disregarding safety precautions. The US supply system would have suffered significant repercussions when the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed following its contact with a cargo ship. It is anticipated to disrupt supply chains and transportation (Elliott & Northam, 2024). [...]
[...] What to Know About Collapsed Baltimore Bridge. USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/03/26/where-is-francis-scott-key-bridge/73102540007/ Elliott, D., & Northam, J. (2024, March 27). The Impact of the Baltimore Bridge Collapse on Shipping and Supply Chains. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2024/03/27/1241116112/the-impact-of-the-baltimore-bridge-collapse-on-shipping-and-supply-chains Lerman, R., Dormido, H., Whalen, J., Melgar, L., & Karklis, L. (2024). How the Baltimore Bridge Collapse Will Impact Supply of Cars, Coal, and Tofu. The Washington Post. [...]
[...] An essential part of Baltimore, Maryland's transportation network is the Francis Scott Key Bridge, commonly called the Outer Harbor Crossing. It connects the city to essential transportation lines like Interstate 695 and crosses the Patapsco River (Al-Arshani et al., 2024). The bridge plays a vital role in transporting goods by linking essential ports and commercial regions to interstate highways and promoting the flow of commodities throughout the region. The Francis Scott Key Bridge is essential to the local economy in Baltimore and beyond in terms of its function in the infrastructure (Al-Arshani et al., 2024). [...]
[...] It will now be necessary to divert cargo to alternate ports, requiring the identification of areas with sufficient capacity for cargo movement. In conclusion, because the Francis Scott Key Bridge plays a critical role in enabling logistics and transportation activities, its collapse could have significantly affected the US supply chain. Understanding the possible causes of these collapses is crucial to strengthening the infrastructure's resilience and guaranteeing the continuous flow of products along essential transportation routes. References Al-Arshani, S., Ventura, C., Nguyen, T., Miller, S., & Trethan, P. (2024, March 26). Where is the Francis Scott Key Bridge? [...]
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