Pete Buttigieg calls collapsed Baltimore Francis Scott Key bridge one of the 'cathedrals of American infrastructure' and warns of massive supply chain issues

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg vowed the federal government would rebuild the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland on Tuesday, calling it a 'cathedral' of American infrastructure.

'This is no ordinary bridge, this is one of the cathedrals of American infrastructure,' he said. 'It has been part of the skyline of this region longer than many of us has been alive.'

He cautioned that the 'path to normalcy' for the Baltimore community after the tragedy 'will not be easy, will not be quick, and will not be inexpensive.'

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg reiterated President Joe Biden's promise to rebuild the bridge with federal funds

A cargo ship is stuck under the part of the structure of the Francis Scott Key Bridge after the ship his the bridge 

Buttigieg spoke at a press conference in Baltimore Tuesday afternoon, several hours after the bridge collapsed in the early hours of the morning after it was struck by a cargo ship. 

He said he was 'moved' to see the state, county, and city response to the tragedy, praising Maryland Gov. Wes Moore for his immediate attention to the issue.

'He was already awake and hard at work when I reached him in the middle of the night,' Buttigieg said.

Buttigieg reminded everyone listening that it was 'excruciating day' for the families of the missing as search and rescue efforts continued.

'They are hoping and praying and we are hoping and praying with them,' he said. 'We are all putting our arms around the community of Baltimore.'

A container ship passes under the Francis Scott Key bridge

Livestream camera footage shows the moment of a large section of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, falling into the water following a ship collision, on March 26, 2024.

He vowed ongoing investigations into what caused the cargo ship to hit the bridge support which caused the catastrophic collapse early Tuesday morning.

'In many ways our work is just beginning, to rebuild this bridge and deal with impacts in the meantime,'

He warned that the closure of the port would cause ongoing problems with supply chains and transportation in the region.

'I have no doubt that we will rebuild together and that Baltimore will come back stronger than ever before,' he said.

Buttigieg urged Americans not to be worried about the strength of bridges across the country.

'This is a unique circumstance. I do not know of a bridge that has been constructed to withstand a direct impact from a vessel of this size,' he said.