Baltimore’s Key Bridge Response 2024 Action Plan and Incident Resources
Mayor Brandon M. Scott has announced additional steps that the City of Baltimore is taking to respond to the Key Bridge Collapse. The Key Bridge Response 2024 Action Plan outlines ongoing efforts being done in partnership with federal, state, and local partners, new support for impacted port workers, and includes lists of resources available for both businesses and workers.
The Action Plan will continue to evolve and expand as the bridge collapse response continues and the community’s needs change.
In addition to the ongoing support outlined in the action plan like the Maryland Tough Baltimore Strong Fund, which was announced by Governor Wes Moore and includes Mayor Scott as a co-chair — this action plan outlines additional steps being taken by the City of Baltimore.
Notably, the Action Plan outlines additional support for residents impacted by the port closure by offering utility bill and rental assistance. An additional $500,000 has been slated for rental assistance.
The full action plan can be accessed by clicking the buttons below or continue reading:
Support for Victims and Families
Direct Family Support Fund
Immediately following the collapse, the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MIMA) established an official fund to aid the families who lost loved ones in the bridge collapse. The Baltimore Civic Fund is operating as the fiscal agent, and this fund serves as the official place for direct monetary support for the victim’s families.
The funding will be disbursed to the families in conjunction with the broader case management effort, with the primary objective of alleviating the financial burden faced by victims’ families and providing whatever resources they need as they work through this situation.
To date, the fund has raised more than $450,000. You can learn more about the fund here.
Case Management Support
MIMA and the Mayor’s Office are coordinating with public entities and local community-based organizations to provide direct case management support, crisis support, and mental health services to the families. They are performing this work in partnership with the Moore Administration and their counterparts in Baltimore County and Anne Arundel government.
MIMA frequently works with providers that deliver case management support in situations like this one, and is diligently applying their experience-informed strategies. The goal of the case management effort is to respond to each family’s and every family member's unique needs, which potentially change over time, to ensure they are receiving the most effective support possible. MIMA, and their counterparts, are taking specific care to ensure that the families are receiving clear and direct communication that they can be receptive to, without being unnecessarily burdened or overwhelmed. For this reason, they are requesting that additional offers of assistance or support, are coordinated directly through the case management teams already working with the families.
Support for Port Businesses and Workers
Small Business Support
Wage Subsidy Program
The Scott administration has created a Wage Subsidy Program to help Port-impacted small businesses keep their employees on payroll, so that they stay attached to their employers and maintain their health benefits. The City of Baltimore has already provided an initial $1M to support rehiring/retaining workers impacted by the Key Bridge collapse. Eligible businesses will receive $7,500 per worker in subsidy payments. Eligible employers can receive up to $22,500, or 3 months of assistance per worker through this subsidy program.
The Scott administration is examining how to move an additional $1M to the program in the coming weeks.
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC)
The Scott administration worked with the U.S. Small Businesses Administration and our federal and state partners to open a Disaster Recovery Center in Baltimore:
BALTIMORE CITY
SBA DRC at CareFirst
1501 S Clinton St, Ste #100
Baltimore, MD 21224
BALTIMORE COUNTY
CCBC Dundalk
Garden Annex Building
7200 Sollers Point Road
Baltimore, MD 21222
ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY
Arundel Christian Church
710 Aquahart Road
Glen Burnie, MD 21061
Daily Hours:
Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Closed: Sunday
Representatives from the Baltimore City Mayor’s Office of Employment Development will be on site at the Baltimore City location to provide additional support and connect businesses to additional resources.
Support from Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program
The Scott administration engaged the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Baltimore team — which is a co-investment with Bloomberg Philanthropies — to work on the ground in Baltimore to connect impacted small businesses with resources, navigate federal funding opportunities, organize network alumni, and connect impacted workers with temporary hiring opportunities.
Additional Support for Businesses to Stay in Baltimore
The Mayor’s Office and Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC) maintain continuous communication with impacted businesses to address their evolving needs and mitigate risks. The retention of port businesses remains a top priority. In collaboration with Maryland Commerce and county partners, BDC has developed a comprehensive business survey. This survey aims to gather specific data to inform targeted local support initiatives for impacted small businesses.
The Scott administration is committed to working with every impacted business to identify ways we can ensure they are able to remain in our city, even as they grapple with the impacts of this crisis.
Port of Baltimore Business Wage Subsidy Program Baltimore City has up to $1,000,000 in total wage subsidies for Port businesses under this program to support incumbent workers for Baltimore city residents at $7,500 per subsidy, for a maximum of 3 workers per business.
Visit: https://airtable.com/applWOF2isbilP7sE/shrduwi9MC8r8buZh
Direct Assistance to Workers
Port Worker Assistance Through the ‘Maryland Tough Baltimore Strong Fund’
To provide support to port workers impacted by the bridge collapse, Mayor Scott is working with Governor Moore as well as County Executives Johnny Olszewski and Steuart Pittman to rally support for the Maryland Tough Baltimore Strong Fund at the Baltimore Community Foundation. Philanthropic organizations, corporations and individual donors seeking to provide direct support to workers impacted by the bridge collapse can donate directly to the fund.
Mayor Scott serves as an honorary Co-Chair of the Maryland Tough Baltimore Strong Alliance, alongside the Chair Governor Moore and fellow Co-Chairs County Executives Olszewski and Pittman, who are working together to provide input in supporting port workers across the Baltimore region and the State of Maryland.
Rental, Water Bill, and Energy Assistance
Mayor Scott has directed the City to provide workers impacted by the bridge collapse access to energy assistance through the Maryland Energy Assistance Program and water bill support through the City’s Water4All, water assistance program. This assistance will aid impacted port workers with direct assistance to pay their bills while the Port of Baltimore remains largely closed during the salvage and recovery effort.
Additionally, the Scott Administration will set aside $500,000 in rental assistance to support eligible port workers, through an expansion of the City’s existing rental assistance program. The City, which stood up its rental assistance program during the COVID-19 pandemic, is one of the remaining jurisdictions in the state of Maryland still actively providing rental assistance.
More information on available utility bill and rental assistance can be found here: www.bmorechildren.com/residents
Transportation and Infrastructure
Traffic Modifications
The Baltimore City Department of Transportation has been working closely with local, state, and federal partners since the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
The Baltimore City Department of Transportation is continuously evaluating the impact of the bridge collapse on City corridors. Higher traffic volumes on City roads are anticipated to continue for the foreseeable future, particularly along designated truck route corridors, and the Baltimore City Department of Transportation is actively working to help mitigate the impact on local communities.
In order to minimize impacts, the Baltimore City Department of Transportation has modified our official truck map which details how truck drivers may use Baltimore City roads and highways. Please refer to the GIS map for the most up-to-date route information.
Truckers are encouraged to continue checking this official map in the coming days as additional modifications may be made.
Motorists should also be aware that portions of Fort Armistead Road and Hawkins Point Road remain closed at this time. Drivers are encouraged to download the Waze.com app for live detour navigation.
Expedited Work on Colgate Creek Bridge
The Colgate Creek Bridge spans Colgate Creek between Seagirt and Dundalk Marine Terminals. Currently the westbound span is being rebuilt with an estimated completion for the end of May. The eastbound span is scheduled to be rebuilt following the completion of the eastbound span. The City is working to expedite the completion of the construction to handle the dramatic increase in cargo once we return to normal port operations.
Hanover Street Bridge Improvements
In an effort to reroute truck traffic due to the collapse of the Key Bridge, the City will rely heavily on the Hanover Street Bridge, which is in need of replacement. Recently, the City submitted a $15.5 million grant application to begin the planning and design work for reconstruction of the bridge. We will be sending an additional note of the increased importance of our request following the collapse of the Key Bridge.
Howard Street Tunnel Project
The City is coordinating with CSX to ensure the Howard Street tunnel expansion project moves forward efficiently and effectively. The project, which extends the height of the Howard Street tunnel, will allow double-stacked containers to move quickly via rail from the Port to their destination. Double-stacking container cargo doubles the amount of freight that can be moved. This project is critical to ensuring the Port can expand and handle significant freight, especially once the port operations return to normal at the end of May pending the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ timeline.
Additional Resources
Unified Command Website
Please visit www.keybridgeresponse2024.com for the most recent updates and subscribe to get updates directly to your inbox.
Maryland Department of Labor
The Department of Labor has created an unemployment insurance hotline for workers affected by the Key Bridge Collapse. You may also file a Weekly Certification by calling the automated phone system, available 24/7. Contact 410-949-0022 (if calling from the Baltimore area or out-of-state) or 800-827-4839 (if calling from Maryland, but outside of the Baltimore area).
Maryland Insurance Administration
The Scott administration has been in touch with the Maryland Insurance Administration who are opening aVirtual Disaster Center to help anyone with insurance-related issues or questions regarding losses from the Francis Scott Key Bridge disaster. Learn more at insurance.maryland.gov.
Debris Reporting
Officials have set up a hotline to report debris washing up along the state’s shorelines following the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. They’re warning people not to touch anything that washes up for safety reasons and instead report such findings to 410-205-6625.
Helpline
This tragedy impacts all of us and it is hard to process. Call or text 988 if you or a loved one are feeling overwhelmed, sad, or stressed. 988 is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The 988 Helpline is counselors are ready and here to help you. 988helpline.org
Resources for Homeowners
If you can’t pay your FHA-insured mortgage due to the impact of the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, you should contact your mortgage servicer (lender) as soon as possible. Your lender may provide you with a Forbearance plan for 3-6 months that will temporarily pause or reduce your monthly mortgage payments to allow you time to overcome the financial hardship. An extended forbearance period may be provided to unemployed borrowers for up to 12 months. Your lender will re-evaluate you for a permanent loss mitigation option to resolve the outstanding mortgage payment arrearages once you have recovered from the financial hardship.
You can find contact information for your lender on your mortgage statement. When you contact them, be prepared to explain:
- why you are unable to make your payment; and
- whether the problem is temporary or permanent.
If you are uncomfortable talking to your lender, a HUD-approved housing counseling agency can help you understand your options and also assist you in potential ways to reduce your other monthly expenses. These services are free of charge.
Find a HUD-approved housing counseling agency in your area:
Online: HUD Housing Counseling
Phone: 1 (800) 569-4287 or (202-708-1455 TTY)
Donations
Direct Family Support Fund
The Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs and the Baltimore Civic Fund have set up an emergency response fund to support victims’ families and the families of the survivors. The money raised will be distributed to the families of those impacted. While monetary support can never replace the loss of a loved one, our goal is to help ease the burden of those affected by this tragedy.
‘Maryland Tough Baltimore Strong Fund’
To provide support to port workers impacted by the bridge collapse, Mayor Scott is working with Governor Moore as well as County Executives Johnny Olszewski and Steuart Pittman to rally support for the Maryland Tough Baltimore Strong Fund at the Baltimore Community Foundation2. Philanthropic organizations, corporations and individual donors seeking to provide direct support to workers impacted by the bridge collapse can donate directly to the fund.