A large barge collided with a bridge over the Arkansas River in Oklahoma‚ halting traffic on a major highway. Authorities temporarily closed the bridge on Saturday after the collision. “Engineers from the Oklahoma Department of Transportation conducted an inspection and found that the bridge pillars had sustained some damage‚ but nothing severe or major. Around two hours later‚ they determined that it was safe to reopen the bridge. Fortunately‚ no one was injured; only the barge sustained heavy damage to the front‚” Rawsalerts wrote. “Photos show the damage to the bridge pillars and the front of the barge after their collision earlier this evening. The bridge was temporarily shut down but has since been reopened‚” an update read. #UPDATE: Photos show the damage to the bridge pillars and the front of the barge after their collision earlier this evening. The bridge was temporarily shut down but has since been reopened. pic.twitter.com/43uK7Myxrt — R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) March 30‚ 2024 Fox News reports: According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol‚ the barge rammed into the bridge near the Kerr Lock &; Dam on Saturday afternoon. Troopers closed South U.S. Highway 59 about 1:25 p.m. after receiving word of the incident and diverted traffic from the area‚ state patrol spokesperson Sarah Stewart said. There were no reports of injuries on the highway or the barge‚ Stewart said. It was not immediately known what caused the barge to hit the bridge. “US-59 is now OPEN at the Arkansas River‚ south of Sallisaw near the Sequoyah/LeFlore County line after a barge hit the bridge. Engineers inspected the structure and found it safe to reopen‚” the Oklahoma Department of Transportation said. SEQUOYAH/LEFLORE COs: US-59 is now OPEN at the Arkansas River‚ south of Sallisaw near the Sequoyah/LeFlore County line after a barge hit the bridge. Engineers inspected the structure and found it safe to reopen. https://t.co/v4ayzF7laY — Oklahoma Department of Transportation (@OKDOT) March 30‚ 2024 Oklahoma highway reopens following shutdown after a barge hit a bridge https://t.co/tKRPSyhF3M — The Associated Press (@AP) April 1‚ 2024 From the Associated Press: The highway reopened to traffic around 4 p.m. “Engineers inspected the structure and found it safe to reopen‚” the Oklahoma Department of Transportation said in an email. A spokesperson for the highway patrol did not immediately reply to an email seeking comment on whether officials have determined what caused the barge to hit the bridge. The news came as engineers began working Saturday to lift a section of twisted steel from the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland after it crumpled into the Patapsco River after a massive cargo ship crashed into one of its main supports.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation and former presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg said he’s unsure if he’ll ever run for elected office again. Buttigieg made the comments during an interview on “Face the Nation‚” where he discussed the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse and ongoing issues with Boeing. Ed O’Keefe asked the Transportation Secretary if he intends to stick around another four years for a potential second Biden term. “You know‚ if the President gets another four years later this year‚ you’re gonna be sticking around?” O’Keefe asked. “Again‚ I’m right now I’m completely focused on doing a good job in the job that I have. I’m humbled and honored that the President asked me to do this work. We knew‚ even in those early days that we’d be pursuing the biggest infrastructure package‚ in certainly in my lifetime‚ we were able to get that through Congress. Now we’re out there delivering that‚” Buttigieg said. “There were other things that we never could have seen coming when President Biden invited me to take on this role‚ like the Baltimore bridge collapse we’re dealing with right now. So I got my head down‚ hard at work and hoping to do right by the trust that’s been placed in me and really proud of the 55‚000 people at the Department of Transportation helping us meet that mission every day‚” he continued. “I know when a lot of people see you on television these days‚ they may still think to themselves‚ ‘Oh‚ I wonder if he still wants the big job one day.’ Now that you’ve been closer to it‚ working alongside a president‚ is it still something you aspire to?” O’Keefe questioned. “Well‚ I certainly have a new perspective on just how demanding that job is watching President Biden deal with so many concerns‚ challenges and opportunities for this country. And I’m proud to be a small part of the big team that helps him get that done‚” Buttigieg answered. “I sincerely don’t know what‚ whether I will run for elected office of any kind again‚ what I do know is that I’ve been asked to take on a big job. I’m honored and humbled to do it. It’s hard‚ it’s rewarding‚ and it’s taken about 110% of what I have to give right now‚” he continued. WATCH: Pete Buttigieg: "I sincerely don't know whether I will run for elected office of any kind again." pic.twitter.com/U3V2PtGpRF — The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) March 31‚ 2024 Buttigieg will continue to be under the microscope following the Baltimore bridge disaster and a string of airline-related incidents. WATCH: Pete Buttigieg blows off Americans who are concerned about flying: "Every time that I step onto an airliner‚ whether I'm going to look at a bridge or whether I'm flying somewhere with my husband and kids…I know that I'm participating in the safest form of travel in America." pic.twitter.com/SfDi0wIzuB — Julia (@Jules31415) March 31‚ 2024 CBS News reports: Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said that as officials eye rebuilding efforts‚ it’s not fully known the condition of what remains of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore after it collapsed days ago when it was hit by a cargo ship. “A lot goes into how that reconstruction will be designed‚ how the process is going to work‚” Buttigieg said on “Face the Nation” on Sunday. He noted that he didn’t have an estimate on the rebuilding timeline‚ but the bridge itself took five years to initially construct. “Right now we don’t fully know everything we need to know about the condition of the portions of the bridge that did not collapse.” First‚ as officials are working to clear debris and reopen the channel. Buttigieg said it remains unclear how long that process will take‚ but the work is “underway.” He said that it’s going to be a “very complex process‚” noting the process for dismantling what remains of the bridge safely. “It has to be done because that is the only way to get into most of the Port of Baltimore‚” Buttigieg said‚ making clear its importance not only to Maryland but also for national supply chains. Then there’s the process of rebuilding the bridge‚ which is expected to take longer. Buttigieg noted that work is already underway there as well‚ after the federal government released $60 million in emergency relief funding. Additional emergency funds are expected to follow. WATCH: Read the full transcript at CBS News: ED O’KEEFE: For the latest we’re joined by the Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. Mr. Secretary‚ happy Easter. Thank you for spending part of it with us and good morning. U.S. SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION PETE BUTTIGIEG: Happy Easter. Good to be with you. ED O’KEEFE: Part of the reason we wanted to chat with you is because you know‚ we have this incident in Baltimore. we’ve seen parts of planes falling out of the sky‚ you’ve described the fact that it’s a national crisis‚ that more than 40‚000 people are killed in car accidents each year‚ we’re going to work our way through some of this. But let’s begin in Baltimore. How long is it going to take to remove that ship‚ clear out the debris‚ and reopen the channel? SECRETARY BUTTIGIEG: We haven’t received a timeline yet. But what I can tell you is the work is now underway‚ parts of the non-federal channel are already being worked on. And there is a thousand ton capacity lift crane on a barge being put into place now there’s another 600 ton crane on its way to back it up. This is going to be a very complex process‚ there are even now forces acting on that steel. So it takes a lot to make sure that it can be dismantled safely‚ to make sure that the vessel stays where it is supposed to be and doesn’t swing out into the channel. But it has to be done. Because that is the only way to get into most of the Port of Baltimore. And of course‚ it’s important not just to the people in the workers of Baltimore‚ but to our national supply chains to get that port back up and running as quickly as possible. Then you have the process of getting the bridge back up. That’s going to take longer‚ but that work is already getting underway as well. We’ve released the first $60 million in emergency relief funding through our department to go toward that work‚ everything from removing wreckage to design and procurement for the new bridge structure. This is not going to happen overnight. But we’re going to help Maryland do it as quickly as they responsibly can. ED O’KEEFE: And is there any sense of how long it would take to rebuild that bridge? SECRETARY BUTTIGIEG: We haven’t received estimates on that yet either. I can tell you the original bridge took about five years to build. But that doesn’t necessarily inform us about the timeline on the reconstruction. A lot goes into how that reconstruction will be designed‚ how the process is going to work. Right now we don’t fully know everything we need to know about the condition of the portions of the bridge that did not collapse. Obviously‚ that work is underway right now. And a lot of great work under the leadership of Governor Wes Moore by the Maryland DOT. We’re backing them up with funding technical assistance‚ everything else we can do to help. ED O’KEEFE: To that point about funding‚ we’ve heard that it sounds like most of this is going to be paid for by the federal government either about 90%- 80% depending on how it works‚ the rest by the state. Where’s that money going to come from? SECRETARY BUTTIGIEG: So we’re using an authority called the emergency relief. This is through our Federal Highway Administration. That’s how we got those first 60 million out and there will be more where that came from. Now it is possible we may need to turn to Congress to supplement that fund. That has happened in the past‚ if you remember the 2007 bridge collapse in Minnesota‚ ultimately about $260 million put together‚ including funds that were put through Congress on a bipartisan basis. And I hope and expect this too will be a bipartisan priority. It’s not just the right thing to do for the people of Baltimore. But really important‚ again‚ for our whole supply system to make sure that that port and that bridge are operating just the way they were supposed to. ED O’KEEFE: Well‚ real quick‚ you know Congress these days can’t get much of anything done. And there seems to be partisan disagreement about even when to go to lunch. So what exactly would be the pitch to any skeptical lawmaker who says why on earth should we have to pay for this? SECRETARY BUTTIGIEG: Well‚ the pitch is your district could be next. And also this has historically been bipartisan‚ and I’m not just reaching back to bygone eras. Remember‚ the infrastructure package itself President Biden’s infrastructure plan went through on a bipartisan basis. A lot of people didn’t think that was possible when we got here in 2021. But the President never gave up on the idea. And sure enough‚ a lot of Republicans were willing to cross the aisle‚ work with President Biden‚ work with Democrats to get this done. If there’s anything left in this country that is more bipartisan than infrastructure‚ it should be emergency response. This is both and I hope that Congress will be willing if and when we turn to them. ED O’KEEFE: On another matter. This week‚ Boeing- or this past week‚ Boeing announced some big changes in its leadership‚ the CEO‚ the Board Chairman‚ the head of the commercial airplanes unit are all leaving by the end of the year. Are those changes enough to satisfy concerns about the company? SECRETARY BUTTIGIEG: Well‚ one personnel change or several personnel changes are not the same thing as what we most need to see‚ which is a change in culture. Whoever takes these new leadership positions and everybody else at Boeing‚ especially those senior leaders who are accountable for the planes that that Boeing produces‚ and the work that that company does‚ they need to demonstrate that they put safety first. FAA has been putting Boeing under a microscope ever since this incident happened in January and frankly‚ there were a lot of concerns about what the FAA administrator saw in the course of those visits and in the audit. He gave Boeing about 90 days to come up with a comprehensive plan to show that they’re on the path to deliver the right kind of quality and safety. We’re about 30 days into that. There are regular check-ins and FAA is not going to allow Boeing to increase their production until they demonstrate that they can do it safely. ED O’KEEFE: You know‚ Thursday was the busiest day of the year so far‚ at least in terms of TSA screenings‚ because we’re seeing an uptick now ahead of spring break. We’re in the midst of spring break for a lot of people‚ but given these aviation incidents: the blown off door on the Alaska Airlines plane‚ the panel that fell off a Delta flight recently‚ what would you say to those who are scared to fly right now? SECRETARY BUTTIGIEG: Well‚ I would say that every time I step onto an airliner‚ whether I’m going to look at a bridge‚ or whether I’m flying somewhere with my husband‚ and kids‚ like we will be later this week‚ I know that I’m participating in the safest form of travel in America. And that what makes it the safest – safest form of travel in America is all of the work and all of the people who stand behind that‚ including the men and women of our FAA. We’re talking about an extraordinary safety record. And just think about this mode of travel‚ it involves being propelled by flammable liquids and a metal tube through the sky at nearly the speed of sound. And again‚ is the safest way to travel. That is because of extremely rigorous standards and processes for inspection. And that’s why so far‚ since this administration arrived‚ there have been about 3 billion passengers getting on airplanes in the United States‚ and 100% of them getting to where they need to go. So we’re going to continue doing everything we can holding airlines‚ aerospace manufacturers‚ and everybody else accountable. And turning to those flight crews‚ mechanics‚ tech workers‚ everybody who is part of that safety equation‚ to try to keep it that way. ED O’KEEFE: You really sold it there metal- metal to flammable liquid flying through the air. But I hear you on this on the safety aspects of this. SECRETARY BUTTIGIEG: Safest in the world. ED O’KEEFE: You know‚ if the President gets another four years later this year‚ you’re gonna be sticking around? SECRETARY BUTTIGIEG: Again‚ I’m right now I’m completely focused on doing a good job in the job that I have. I’m humbled and honored that the President asked me to do this work. We knew‚ even in those early days that we’d be pursuing the biggest infrastructure package‚ in certainly in my lifetime‚ we were able to get that through Congress. Now we’re out there delivering that. There were other things that we never could have seen coming when President Biden invited me to take on this role‚ like the Baltimore bridge collapse we’re dealing with right now. So I got my head down‚ hard at work and hoping to do right by the trust that’s been placed in me and really proud of the 55‚000 people at the Department of Transportation helping us meet that mission every day. ED O’KEEFE: I know when a lot of people see you on television these days‚ they may still think to themselves‚ “Oh‚ I wonder if he still wants the big job one day.” Now that you’ve been closer to it‚ working alongside a president‚ is it still something you aspire to? SECRETARY BUTTIGIEG: Well‚ I certainly have a new perspective on just how demanding that job is watching President Biden deal with so many concerns‚ challenges and opportunities for this country. And I’m proud to be a small part of the big team that helps him get that done. I sincerely don’t know what‚ whether I will run for elected office of any kind again‚ what I do know is that I’ve been asked to take on a big job. I’m honored and humbled to do it. It’s hard‚ it’s rewarding‚ and it’s taken about 110% of what I have to give right now. ED O’KEEFE: All right‚ well‚ we are honored and humbled you spend part of your Easter with us. Our best to Chasten and the kids and we’ll talk again soon. SECRETARY BUTTIGIEG: Thanks very much. Good being with you.

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