Transportation Secretary Oversees Maryland Bridge Collapse Recovery
WASHINGTON, DC—In response to the recent bridge collapse in Maryland, President Joe Biden has dispatched Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to lead the cleanup and recovery efforts. This move comes after Buttigieg’s controversial comments linking low bridges to racism, which sparked wide discussions on infrastructure and equality.
Buttigieg’s role in Maryland will encompass overseeing the swift and efficient removal of debris, as well as the initiation of rebuilding processes. The Transportation Secretary’s experience and previous statements on infrastructure equity are expected to play a key role in the recovery strategy.
President Biden has expressed confidence in Buttigieg’s capabilities, emphasizing the importance of addressing the immediate needs of the affected area while also considering the broader implications for national infrastructure policy. The administration’s quick action aims to mitigate the impact of the collapse and accelerate the return to normalcy for Maryland residents.
Early Monday morning, the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed after it was struck by a cargo ship that had reportedly lost power.
The notion that New York’s bridges were built intentionally low has been debunked by historians, noting that the minority population in New York City at the time of their construction was around 3-7%, and that most people in the city used buses to reach beach areas. If the intent was to block bus traffic, then it would have disenfranchised the caucasian population and not the minority population which had just begun to start growing in the early 20th century.
Most respected historians agree the bridges low height was a cost constraint at the time of their construction.