U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he has concerns over the escalating costs of rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Md.
In a letter to Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Duffy said the Trump administration is committed to oversight of all federal dollars being spent on the project and that he has questions about the proposed budget as well as the project’s timeline. Duffy also called out the project’s DEI contracting practices prioritizing race- and gender-based requirements.
“It’s my job to ensure the American people’s tax dollars are spent properly and major projects are completed on time and on budget,” Duffy said. “DEI contracting practices and ballooning project costs are already threatening to delay this critical project. We will leverage our oversight authorities to ensure this vital bridge is rebuilt the right way.”
Duffy said Congress has granted him authority to conduct oversight to ensure that federal funds are properly managed, and that when a state partners with the DOT on major infrastructure projects, it is his responsibility to oversee how money is spent. He said he hopes to work with the Maryland DOT in getting the project delivered on time, on budget and “in compliance with the law.”
Duffy said he questioned the proposed price tag for the project of $1.8 billion, and the delivery date of 2028. Additionally, he said contract requirements around race or gender were unconstitutional.
“One additional area of specific concern relates to whether Maryland intends to award contracts for the FSK Bridge project in a manner that relies on the race or sex of contractors. Any reliance on race- or sex-conscious factors in contracting decisions could introduce significant legal vulnerabilities and inefficiencies in the management of the project…” he wrote.
“…The DOT has determined that the race- and sex-based ‘presumptions’ of disadvantage in DOT’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program are inconsistent with these principles, and it has asked a Federal district court to declare those presumptions unconstitutional…”