Work To Clear Channel Following Maryland Bridge Collapse Continues, Oklahoma Officials Assess Statewide Infrastructure

Federal officials are working to open an alternate channel for marine traffic following the collapse of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge last week.

The US Navy is supplying four heavy lift cranes to help remove up to 4,000 tons of debris.

United States Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said on CBS' Face the Nation on Sunday how important it is to clear the channel.

"It has to be done," Buttigieg said. "Because that is the only way to get into most of the Port of Baltimore. "It's important not just to the people and the workers of Baltimore, but to our national supply chains."

It is unclear when the port will reopen to ships, but Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said hundreds of thousands of dollars have been set aside for the families of the six constructions workers presumed dead.

In Oklahoma, investigators are looking into how a barge struck a bridge in Oklahoma over the weekend.

RELATED: US-59 Bridge Reopened Near Sallisaw After Being Struck By Barge, ODOT Says

The bridge at the Kerr Reservoir south of Sallisaw on Highway 59 is back open after the Oklahoma Highway Patrol closed the bridge for around 2 hours for inspection.

Engineers with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation have deemed the structure to be safe.

On Monday, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation will meet and, director Tim Gatz will give an update on the state of Oklahoma's infrastructure.