BALTIMORE — It will be more than four years before a Francis Scott Key Bridge replacement again connects I-695 over the Baltimore harbor, but by this summer, the state is expected to identify its builder.

During a two-hour virtual forum Tuesday, potential consultants, contractors and subcontractors asked questions of Maryland Transportation Authority officials regarding the new bridge, which is expected to cost between $1.7 billion and $1.9 billion and be completed by the fall of 2028.

Asked whether state leaders will host site tours or one-on-one meetings with interested companies, transportation authority officials said those are “not anticipated” due to the need for a quick timeline. It’s an “aggressive rebuild schedule,” said Brian Wolfe, the authority’s director of project development.

A “request for proposals” (RFP) will be released later this month. Transportation officials said that four to six weeks later, an entity or entities will be selected to build the new bridge.

Democratic President Joe Biden, who is seeking re-election, has pledged that the federal government will pay for the new span. Asked by one of the participants during the forum if any private financing would fund the bridge construction, James Harkness, the transportation authority’s chief engineer, said no. “All the funding for this project will be federal dollars or toll revenue,” he said.

“We are seeking a team that manages costs effectively, provides transparency in financial dealings and stays within negotiated budgets,” Harkness said. “Additionally, the bridge’s design should minimize environmental impacts to the Patapsco River and enhance the visual landscape, serving as a welcoming gateway to the city and Port of Baltimore.”

He added that the bridge should exceed a “75-year service life.”

The Dali, a massive cargo ship, appeared to lose power in the early hours of March 26, hitting one of the former bridge’s piers and knocking it down, killing six construction workers. As of Tuesday, when the body of José Mynor López was located and identified, the remains of all six were recovered.

More than 50,000 short tons of steel and concrete fell into the river. Crews have worked to clear the debris and reopen the deepwater shipping channel into the Port of Baltimore by the end of May. The Dali remains stuck in the riverbed, but within the next week, crews plan to use explosives to remove a large section of the bridge from the bow.

As all this happens, companies will submit proposals to design and build a replacement bridge.

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