In the immediate aftermath of the deadly March 26 collapse, officials quickly promised to rebuild the bridge — a longstanding Baltimore landmark and vital piece of transportation infrastructure.

They cited a 2028 completion date and estimated the project would cost $1.7 billion and would include significantly more pier protection to better defend against future wayward ships.

At a monthly meeting Thursday morning, the Maryland Transportation Authority board awarded a $73 million contract for the first phase of the project to Kiewit Infrastructure, which calls itself “one of North America’s largest and most respected engineering and construction organizations.”