Maryland transit officials say they have a plan to build a new Chesapeake Bay Bridge, tear down existing bridge spans and ease traffic.
After years of weighing the options, the Maryland Transportation Authority Board will vote on Thursday on the “recommended preferred alternative” for the future of the bridge, state transportation officials said Tuesday.
The plan known as “Alternative C” would construct two four-lane bridge spans and tear down the existing bridge spans.
“This recommendation is an exciting step that moves us closer to a Bay crossing that provides a smoother travel experience for those who drive over the bridge and the Marylanders who live by it,” Maryland Department of Transportation Acting Secretary Samantha J. Biddle said in a statement. “Alternative C is the option that best supports Marylanders’ current and future daily travel needs with the least environmental impact on our treasured Chesapeake Bay.”
Transit officials say the plan includes:
- “Two new four-lane bridge spans with full shoulders across the Chesapeake Bay, enhancing safety while providing additional transportation capacity, reliability and mobility”
- “Removal of the existing Bay Bridge spans, addressing existing roadway deficiencies including narrow lanes and lack of shoulders, eliminating the need for major rehabilitation projects and associated lane closures and delays, and increasing navigational clearance to meet U.S. Coast Guard requirements. The navigational clearance will match that of the new Key Bridge, allowing larger ships to access the Port of Baltimore”
- “Widening of US 50/301 to eight lanes (four per direction) from west of Oceanic Drive to east of Cox Creek to accommodate transitions to the new crossing”
- “Financial commitments for transit-related improvements”
- “An optional bicycle and pedestrian shared-use path, which the MDTA will further evaluate to determine if it should be included.”
“Alternative C best fulfills the study’s purpose and need while considering environmental and financial responsibility,” Maryland Transportation Authority Executive Director Bruce Gartner said in a statement. “Of the build alternatives, it is the most cost-effective, impacts the least amount of natural, socio-economic and cultural resources. It would enhance safety with full shoulders and wider lanes, bring between $17 to $23 billion into the local economy, and create 61,300 to 75,600 jobs with 76% direct employment of construction workers.”
A study that began in summer 2022 weighed seven options for the bridge’s future. Under the selected plan, construction would begin in summer 2032.
Government agencies and members of the public will have opportunities to comment on the plan starting in January. Public hearings will be held in February, officials said.
The board meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. Thursday.
For some, the collapse of Baltimore’s Key Bridge is intensifying a fear of crossing over bridges. News4’s Derrick Ward spoke to a man whose company helps frightened drivers cross the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.
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