Customers from the East Coast to the Midwest could see costly impact from Baltimore bridge collapse NBC Bay Area [Video]

Customers from the East Coast to the Midwest who were expecting goods shipped in via the Port of Baltimore could see significant cost increases as a result of Tuesday’s collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.

In a statement released after the bridge collapsed early Tuesday, the American Trucking Association estimated some 4,900 trucks per day carrying an annual average of $28 billion worth of goods would have to be re-rerouted — at a cost to shippers and ultimately consumers.

“The Key Bridge and Port of Baltimore are critical components of our nation’s infrastructure and supply chain,” the association said. “Aside from the obvious tragedy, this incident will have significant and long-lasting impacts on the region.”

It noted the greatest impact is likely to be on shipments of hazardous materials, like diesel fuel, which are not allowed to be brought through tunnels.

The closure, the association said, will “add significant cost in time, fuel and delays for …