Bridge Over Troubled Waters

By Robin Itzler

There are many questions concerning the Francis Scott Key Bridge disaster in Baltimore. Some are:

1. Was it cyber terrorism that took down the cargo ship’s power?
2. Why didn’t the multiple steering backup systems work?
3. Does the video show the powerless ship reversing and then heading directly into the pillar?
4. If the bridge’s pillars were so fragile, why weren’t there stronger barriers surrounding them?
5. Why did the Biden administration immediately declare this an accident before any investigation was conducted?

Some reporting says it could take up to 10 YEARS to rebuild the 1.6-mile bridge. It only took five years the first time: 1972 to 1977. If the 10-year estimate is anywhere near the truth, it is another example of what has happened to the westernized world. Consider these examples from the 19th and 20th centuries:

Eiffel Tower – Construction started in January 1887 and was finished in March 1889. Titanic – White Star Line started construction in 1909 at the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Ireland and was completed three years later in 1912.

Empire State Building – Construction started on March 17, 1930, and was completed in one year, 45 days. Hoover Dam – Construction started on July 7, 1930, and was completed in five years. The dam started generating electrical power on September 11, 1936.

Golden Gate Bridge – Construction took 4-1/2 years. It started in January 1933, and on May 28, 1937, the bridge was open to traffic. 

With the bridge down, automobiles will cost more as Baltimore was one of the busiest ports for car shipments. In “Car Prices Expected to Rise After Baltimore Bridge Collapse,” Emel Akin of The Epoch Times writes:

“The port handled more than 847,000 cars and light trucks last year. It’s a crucial hub for the imports and exports of several leading brands, such as General Motors, Jaguar Land Rover, Nissan, Toyota and Volkswagen.”

The Francis Scott Key was designed as part of Interstate I-695, aka Baltimore Beltway. More than 31,500 vehicles per DAY traveled over the bridge. This incident (attack? accident?) will have a long-term impact on the shipping of goods, which we will see in the April consumer price index reports.

But don’t worry, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is in charge. 

Commentaries and insights selected from Robin's weekly newsletter Patriot Neighbors. Cartoons may be added by me.  If you wish to get the full edition,   E-mail her at PatriotNeighbors@yahoo.com to get on her list, it's free.