The Chesapeake Bay Bridge (also known locally as the Bay Bridge) is a major
dual-span bridge in the U.S. state of
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean t ...
. Spanning the
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay ( ) is the largest estuary in the United States. The Bay is located in the Mid-Atlantic region and is primarily separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Delmarva Peninsula (including the parts: the Eastern Shore of Maryland / ...
, it connects the state's rural
Eastern Shore region with the urban Western Shore, between
Stevensville and the capital city of
Annapolis
Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east ...
. The original span, opened in 1952 and with a length of , was the world's longest continuous over-water steel structure. The parallel span was added in 1973. The bridge is officially named the Gov. William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial Bridge after
William Preston Lane Jr.
William Preston Lane Jr. (May 12, 1892 – February 7, 1967) was an American attorney and politician who served as the 52nd Governor of Maryland from 1947 to 1951.
Early life and education
Lane was born in Hagerstown, Maryland, on May 12, 1892, ...
who, as the 52nd
Governor of Maryland
The Governor of the State of Maryland is the head of government of Maryland, and is the commander-in-chief of the state's National Guard units. The Governor is the highest-ranking official in the state and has a broad range of appointive powers ...
, initiated its construction in the late 1940s finally after decades of political indecision and public controversy.
The bridge is part of
U.S. Route 50 (US 50) and
US 301, and serves as a vital link in both routes. As part of cross-country US 50, it connects the
Baltimore–Washington Metropolitan Area with
Ocean City, Maryland,
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Rehoboth Beach ( ) is a city on the Atlantic Ocean along the Delaware Beaches in eastern Sussex County, Delaware. As of the 2010 U.S. census, the population was 1,327, reflecting a decline of 161 (11.2%) from the 1,488 counted in the 2000 cen ...
, and other coastal tourist resort destinations. As part of US 301, it serves as part of an alternative route for
Interstate 95 travelers, between northern
Delaware
Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent ...
and the
Washington, D.C., area. Because of this linkage, the bridge is busy and has become known as a point of
traffic congestion, particularly during peak hours and summer months.
The bridge's role in transportation was filled by
ferries prior to the first span's construction. An annual
10K run across the bridge has been organized on-and-off since 1975. The bridge's economic impact on the areas it connects has been significant, with both
Queen Anne's County
Queen Anne's County is located on the Eastern Shore of the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2020 census, the population was 49,874. Its county seat and most populous municipality is Centreville. The census-designated place of Stevensvill ...
and Ocean City expanding significantly since the bridge's construction. Future expansion of the bridge has been discussed since 2004, with a task force being formed to investigate the possibility of building a third span.
Because of similar names, it is often confused with the
Chesapeake Bay Bridge–Tunnel, a
bridge–tunnel
A bridge–tunnel is a persistent, unbroken road or rail connection across water that uses a combination of bridges and tunnels, and sometimes causeways, and does not involve intermittent connections such as drawbridges or ferries.
Bridge–tun ...
linking the
Eastern Shore of Virginia with the
Hampton Roads region and the rest of
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...
.
History
Proposals and ferries
It is possible that studies may have been conducted as early as the 1880s into the possibility of a bridge across the Chesapeake Bay.
However, the first known proposal came about in 1907 and called for a crossing between
Baltimore
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore was ...
and
Tolchester Beach.
In 1927, local businesspeople were authorized to finance the construction of a Baltimore to Tolchester Beach crossing. Plans for the new bridge were made, but construction was canceled following the
Wall Street Crash of 1929
The Wall Street Crash of 1929, also known as the Great Crash, was a major American stock market crash that occurred in the autumn of 1929. It started in September and ended late in October, when share prices on the New York Stock Exchange coll ...
with the collapse of the American economy and resulting
Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
of the 1930s.
Ferries were used as the main mode of transportation across the bay from the colonial period until the completion of the 1952 bridge. The first service ran from
Annapolis
Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east ...
to
Broad Creek on
Kent Island, roughly where the bridge is today.
In 1919, the
Claiborne–Annapolis Ferry Company began running ferries between
Annapolis
Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east ...
and
Claiborne, a community near
St. Michaels.
In July 1930, the
Claiborne–Annapolis Ferry Company added a new route, one running from Annapolis to
Matapeake, a significantly shorter distance.
The auto and passenger ferries were taken over by the
State Roads Commission in 1941 (reorganized into today's State Highway Administration of the
Maryland Department of Transportation in 1973). Two years later, the commission moved the western terminus of the old
Annapolis–Matapeake ferry to Sandy Point (later adjacent to
Sandy Point State Park
Sandy Point State Park is a public recreation area on Chesapeake Bay, located at the western end of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The state park is known for the popularity of its swimming beach, with annual attendan ...
), shortening the cross-bay trip.
Construction of 1952 span
A 1938 proposal by the
Maryland General Assembly was the first to call for a bridge at the Sandy Point–Kent Island location.
Although the legislation authorizing the new bridge passed, the involvement of the United States in World War II delayed the bridge's construction. In 1947, with the war over, the Assembly, under the leadership of Maryland Governor
William Preston Lane Jr.
William Preston Lane Jr. (May 12, 1892 – February 7, 1967) was an American attorney and politician who served as the 52nd Governor of Maryland from 1947 to 1951.
Early life and education
Lane was born in Hagerstown, Maryland, on May 12, 1892, ...
, (1892–1967), passed legislation directing the old State Roads Commission to begin construction.
Ground was broken in January 1949, and after a -year construction project, the bridge opened to traffic on July 30, 1952, as both the longest continuous over-water steel structure, and the third longest bridge in the world.
Before the opening, a parade of vehicles made the first official crossing, led by then current Governor
Theodore Roosevelt McKeldin, (1900–1974), and other state officials in a distinctive white Cadillac convertible flying huge American and Maryland flags.
On November 9, 1967, the bridge was dedicated to Governor Lane, who had died earlier that year, and officially renamed the "William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial Bridge".
1973 expansion
In 1967, due to increasing traffic volume, the Maryland General Assembly authorized three possible new crossings, all suggested during the
1964 Chesapeake Bay crossing study.
These included one further north near
Baltimore
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore was ...
, one in
southern Maryland, and an additional span to be added to the existing bridge from Kent Island to Sandy Point; ultimately, the third option was chosen. Construction of the new parallel span began in 1969 to the north of the original bridge, and it was completed on June 28, 1973.
Notable incidents
Because of its height, the narrowness of the spans (there are no hard shoulders), the low guardrails, and the frequency of high winds, it is often cited as one of the scariest bridges in the United States. Several weather-related incidents have caused complete closures of the bridge.
The bridge has been closed four times due to extreme weather. The first time was September 18, 2003, during
Hurricane Isabel and its high winds. On August 27, 2011, the bridge was closed to all traffic due to the impact of
Hurricane Irene. Then-Governor
Martin O'Malley ordered the bridge closed when sustained winds exceeded . On October 29, 2012, the bridge was closed due to the effects of
Hurricane Sandy. On March 6, 2013, during the
March 2013 nor'easter, high winds again caused the bridge to be closed.
On August 10, 2008, a tractor trailer involved in a head-on collision near the west end fell from the bridge; the driver died in the crash. The incident highlighted concern that the bridge may not be structurally safe, but the
Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) discounted any structural or engineering problems with it.
Inspections of the wall in the weeks following the accident revealed that there was deterioration in the form of corrosion of the steel reinforcements inside barriers; this prompted immediate repairs to the wall.
Specifications and operations
With shore-to-shore lengths of ,
the two spans of the bridge form the longest fixed water crossing in Maryland.
The bridge's western terminus is in
Sandy Point State Park
Sandy Point State Park is a public recreation area on Chesapeake Bay, located at the western end of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The state park is known for the popularity of its swimming beach, with annual attendan ...
, located northeast of
Annapolis
Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east ...
in
Anne Arundel County, and its eastern terminus is in
Stevensville on
Kent Island in
Queen Anne's County
Queen Anne's County is located on the Eastern Shore of the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2020 census, the population was 49,874. Its county seat and most populous municipality is Centreville. The census-designated place of Stevensvill ...
. The two spans are relatively similar in height, with the older span at and the newer span at .
Structural details
With the exception of the number of lanes on each (two on the original span and three on the newer span) and differences owing to the design standards for the periods in which they were built, the spans are structurally similar. Both were designed by
J. E. Greiner Company
J. E. Greiner Company was a Baltimore, Maryland-based civil engineering firm specializing in bridge design.
History
The firm was founded in 1908 by former Baltimore and Ohio Railroad bridge engineer John Edwin Greiner (February 24, 1859 – ...
, which later became a part of
AECOM through the company's acquisition of
URS Corporation. Each span features:
*Two main spans over the bay's two shipping channels:
**A long
suspension section over the western channel with a maximum clearance of at the main span
—high enough to accommodate ocean-going vessels and
tall ships
**A through-truss
cantilever
A cantilever is a rigid structural element that extends horizontally and is supported at only one end. Typically it extends from a flat vertical surface such as a wall, to which it must be firmly attached. Like other structural elements, a cant ...
span over the eastern channel
*Deck truss and steel girder spans flanking the main spans
*Concrete beam spans on the portions closest to the shores
*A curve near the western terminus, which is required so that the main spans cross the bay's shipping channels at 90 degrees per
requirements
Traffic control
Traffic patterns on the bridge's five lanes can be adjusted via its
lane control system, which consists of overhead lane control signals on both spans and approaches.
Typically, the two lanes on the south-most span are configured for vehicles traveling east on eastbound US 50/US 301, while the three lanes on the north-most span are configured for vehicles traveling west on westbound US 50/US 301; the spans are therefore referred to as the "eastbound span" and "westbound span", respectively.
However, this pattern is adjusted during incidents or peak travel times: for instance, on the outset of weekends when there is a high volume of beach-bound traffic, one lane on the westbound span is configured for eastbound traffic.
In 2006, pink markers were placed along the eastbound span to mark out the suggested following distance, similar to systems used in
Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over t ...
and
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
. The markers are a part of the MDTA's "Pace Your Space" campaign to prevent
vehicle collisions and
traffic congestion due to
tailgating
Tailgating is the action of a driver driving behind another vehicle while not leaving sufficient distance to stop without causing a collision if the vehicle in front stops suddenly.
The safe distance for following another vehicle varies depend ...
on the bridge.
In April 2013, changes were made to increase safety on the westbound span during two-way operations: signs, pavement markings, and rumble strips were modified, and a buffer zone between the left and center lanes was created. As a result, motorists can no longer switch between the left and center lanes, whether or not two-way operations are in effect. Two-way traffic may occur on the eastbound span during overnight roadwork or during emergency situations that close the westbound span, on which two-way traffic is more common. When the
MDTA closes either span for overnight roadwork, it implements two-way traffic on the span that remains open. During eastbound span closure, two-way traffic operates on the westbound span with the center lane closed.
In January 2020, Governor Larry Hogan announced that the tollbooths on the eastbound side of bridge were being removed in preparation for all-electronic tolling on the Kent Island side of the eastbound bridge. The merged lanes tie directly into the two lanes on the eastbound bridge. The MDTA is replacing lane control signals on both bridges with those that have flashing strobe lights to indicate a lane closure or a lane with contraflow traffic, and is installing an automated gate system on the bridge to allow quicker implementation of two-way traffic on the bridge. The automated gate system will reduce traffic congestion when implementing two-way traffic. Illuminated pavement markings will be installed to show where the crossovers are during two-way traffic operations. MDTA crews will no longer have to manually open and close the crossovers for two-way traffic operations.
The MDTA has used traffic cones and barrels to open and close crossovers, and to create tapers for the reversible lane. When two-way traffic is implemented, the MDTA momentarily stops traffic to reposition traffic cones and barrels to taper traffic into the reversible lane. MDTA Police then escort traffic across the bridge in the reversible lane. The MDTA will not implement two-way traffic in certain weather conditions, including excess precipitation and high winds. The MDTA may stop all traffic when the wind speed exceeds 55 mph. Two-way traffic on the bridge requires all associated signage and systems to be operational. The MDTA has to monitor two-way traffic operations on the bridge due to the length of the bridge and its lack of
shoulders. The MDTA will stop two-way traffic if westbound delays pile up, at which point westbound traffic will be prioritized. Any time contraflow traffic is implemented on either of the bridges, the speed limit for the contraflow lane is reduced to 40 mph while the other lanes remain at 50 mph.
MDTA Police will momentarily stop traffic for MDTA crews to reposition traffic cones and barrels to close off the left lane leading up to the bridge in the event of inclement weather during contraflow traffic.
Tolls and fees
Operated by the MDTA, the bridge has a one-way toll (eastbound) of $4.00 for two-axle vehicles; vehicles with a Maryland
E-ZPass pay $2.50. Previously the bridge had a one-way (eastbound) toll of $6.00 for two-axle vehicles (raised from $4 on July 1, 2013); vehicles with E-ZPass that were enrolled in the Bay Bridge Commuter Plan paid $2.10 (raised from $1 on July 1, 2013). Tolls were collected in both directions until April 1989, when tolls were doubled and only collected in the Eastbound direction.
All-electronic tolling began on May 12, 2020, with tolls payable through
E-ZPass or
Video Tolling, which uses
automatic license plate recognition.
The MDTA previously provided transportation across the bridge for
nervous drivers, but that role is now filled by private companies.
Bay Bridge Walk and Run
While there are no pedestrian facilities on the bridge, the Bay Bridge Walk and Governor's Bay Bridge Run used to afford an opportunity to cross the bridge on foot, usually on the first Sunday in May.
The events took place on the eastbound span, which was closed to vehicles while two-way traffic shared the westbound span. Participants started on the east end of the bridge (on Kent Island) and proceeded west to the finish near the toll plaza.
WMATA
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA ), commonly referred to as Metro, is a tri-jurisdictional government agency that operates transit service in the Washington metropolitan area. WMATA was created by the United States Con ...
and
MTA transit buses transported participants between outlying parking areas and the start and finish points.
The run, a
10K race across the bridge, is held early in the morning before the walk. It is conducted by the Annapolis Striders, a local running organization, and controlled by the MDTA and
Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Proceeds went to the Chesapeake Bay Trust in support of the bay.
The first walk was held in 1975,
when a
Towson Boy Scout leader asked Governor
Marvin Mandel
Marvin Mandel (April 19, 1920 – August 30, 2015) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the 56th Governor of Maryland from January 7, 1969, to January 17, 1979, including a one-and-a-half-year period when Lt. Governor Blair ...
if his troop could walk across the bridge during maintenance.
The annual walk was canceled for the first time in 1980 due to poor weather conditions, and later saw frequent cancellations throughout the 2000s. During this period the walk was canceled in:
*2002 and 2007 due to poor weather conditions.
*2003 and 2005 due to security concerns.
*2008, 2009, and 2010 due to construction activity in the area on the west side of the bridge where participants would otherwise be staged. Fiscal concerns were also cited as a contributing factor to the 2010 cancellation.
*2011 due to fiscal concerns.
*2012 for undisclosed reasons.
Following its cancellation in 2005, the MDTA considered decreasing the annual frequency of the event, citing traffic, fiscal, manpower, and security concerns. The most recent event (held in 2006) cost over $350,000, and the cost estimate for 2012 was almost $400,000. In late 2011, a non-profit group, the
Greater Washington Sports Alliance (GWSA), approached the MDTA Capital Committee to propose sponsoring the event, along with a concert at Sandy Point State Park, at no cost to the MDTA. While the Capital Committee unanimously recommended that the MDTA Board approve the proposal contingent upon an agreement between the GWSA and the MDTA, the 2012 event was ultimately cancelled.
After increasingly consistent cancellations of the walking event, the MDTA, along with
Queen Anne's County
Queen Anne's County is located on the Eastern Shore of the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2020 census, the population was 49,874. Its county seat and most populous municipality is Centreville. The census-designated place of Stevensvill ...
, contracted with an outside company to have a professional 10K race across the bridge, which has been labeled the "Across the Bay 10K". The inaugural event occurred November 9, 2014. The Race Director is
Dave McGillivray, who has served in that capacity for the BAA Boston Marathon since 1988. The Across the Bay 10K has several charity beneficiaries, including bay research, bay restoration, and breast cancer research. The IRONMAN Foundation took over the race's organization in 2016. In 2019, the race was held virtually due to maintenance on the bridge.
Impact
Since its construction, the bridge has made significant impacts on both sides of the bay; among them has been the growth of
Eastern Shore communities. When the bridge opened in 1952, and again when the second span was added in 1973, the Eastern Shore was given easier access to
Baltimore
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore was ...
and
Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
, causing areas in southern
Queen Anne's County
Queen Anne's County is located on the Eastern Shore of the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2020 census, the population was 49,874. Its county seat and most populous municipality is Centreville. The census-designated place of Stevensvill ...
to develop as
bedroom communities. This extension of the Baltimore–Washington suburbs has led Queen Anne's County to be listed as part of the
Baltimore–Washington Metropolitan Area. The bridge has also given easier access to
Ocean City from the Western Shore, which has caused Ocean City to grow from a small town to one that is said to become the second largest city in Maryland during the summer.
In 1948, the impending completion of the bridge gave rise to an extension of
US 50 to Ocean City. The route was extended along the corridor of
Maryland Route 404 (MD 404) and a large portion of
US 213, cutting both of those routes back. During the 1950s, US 50 on the Western Shore was rerouted onto the long-proposed
Annapolis–Washington Expressway (now known as the John Hanson Highway), which was built at the time in order to provide better access to the bridge. As the Eastern Shore, particularly Ocean City, grew, further upgrades and realignments of US 50 took place. This work included the aforementioned 1973 completion of the second Bay Bridge span, the extension of the US 50 freeway eastward to the US 50/US 301 split in
Queenstown, and the construction of a freeway bypass around the north side of Salisbury in 2002. Additionally, the road has been upgraded and realigned over the years from its original two-lane configuration to a four-lane
divided highway
A dual carriageway ( BE) or divided highway ( AE) is a class of highway with carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation (BrE) or median (AmE). Roads with two or more carriageways which are ...
, with the last such section being in
Vienna
en, Viennese
, iso_code = AT-9
, registration_plate = W
, postal_code_type = Postal code
, postal_code =
, timezone = CET
, utc_offset = +1
, timezone_DST ...
, bypassed in 1991. Previous plans to expand US 50's freeway portion and replace the aging
Harry W. Kelley Memorial Bridge into Ocean City have been delayed.
The bridge is often the site of
suicides
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and subs ...
by jumpers. As of 1995, more than 75 people had committed suicide during the bridge's 43-year existence.
Future expansion
In December 2004, a study concluded that traffic across the bridge was expected to increase by 40% by 2025. The following year, a task force formed by Governor
Bob Ehrlich
Robert Leroy Ehrlich Jr. (born November 25, 1957) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 60th Governor of Maryland from 2003 to 2007. A Republican, Ehrlich represented Maryland's 2nd Congressional district in the U.S. House ...
met to again explore the possibility of establishing a new Chesapeake Bay crossing.
The task force concluded that a bridge would be the best option for an additional crossing, and four geographic locations for such a bridge were explored: Anne Arundel County to Queen Anne's County (the existing location), Baltimore County to Kent County, Anne Arundel or Calvert County to Talbot County, and Calvert County to Dorchester County.
In late 2006, the task force released a report on the study but did not make a final recommendation; members of the task force requested additional time to continue the study.
In 2020, it was announced that 11 of 14 potential sites for a third span had been rejected by the
Maryland Transportation Authority following a $5 million study into the impacts of an additional span. Significant environmental and economic impacts were identified, with a report stating that any additional crossing is "expected to be multiple billions of dollars."
See also
*
Kent Narrows Bridge
*
List of bridges by length
This is a list of the world's longest bridges that are more than in length sorted by their full length above land and water. The main span is the longest span without any ground support.
'' Note: There is no standard way to measure the total ...
*
Severn River Bridge
References
External links
Chesapeake Bay Bridge official websiteBay Bridge Page at MdTA websitePage at dcroads.netLive Video Rt 50 Kent IslandLive Video Rt 50 Sandy PointA 1950 comprehensive study of the economic effects of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge (pdf)*
*
{{Authority control
1952 establishments in Maryland
Bridges completed in 1952
Bridges completed in 1973
Bridges in Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Bridges in Queen Anne's County, Maryland
Bridges of the United States Numbered Highway System
Cantilever bridges in the United States
Chesapeake Bay
Concrete bridges in the United States
Girder bridges in the United States
Intracoastal Waterway
Towers in Maryland
Road bridges in Maryland
Roads with a reversible lane
Steel bridges in the United States
Suspension bridges in Maryland
Through arch bridges in the United States
Toll bridges in Maryland
U.S. Route 50
U.S. Route 301