The U.S. Naval Academy Bridge is a

bridge A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually someth ...

that crosses the Severn River in

Annapolis, Maryland 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 ...

. It is located downriver from the Severn River Bridge and adjacent to the

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy ...

. Its predecessor, a

bascule bridge A bascule bridge (also referred to as a drawbridge or a lifting bridge) is a moveable bridge with a counterweight that continuously balances a span, or leaf, throughout its upward swing to provide clearance for boat traffic. It may be single- o ...

, once served as the main point of entry into Annapolis from both Ritchie Highway and the ferry to the Eastern Shore prior to the construction of the

John Hanson Highway U.S. Route 50 (US 50) is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching just over from Ocean City, Maryland, on the Atlantic Ocean to West Sacramento, California. In the U.S. state of Maryland, US 50 exists in two section ...

and the current Severn River Bridge. In 1994, the deteriorating bascule bridge was replaced with the current crossing. The bridge's design was the winning entry of a bridge design competition, and was officially named the U.S. Naval Academy Bridge in honor of the Naval Academy's 150th anniversary. The Naval Academy Bridge is part of

Maryland Route 450 Maryland Route 450 (MD 450) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The state highway runs from U.S. Route 1 Alternate (US 1 Alternate) in Bladensburg east to US 50, US 301, and MD 2 near Arnold. MD 450 forms a local complement ...

and provides an alternative entrance to the Naval Academy, avoiding downtown Annapolis.

Design

This bridge was the replacement for an aging, moveable structure. The design of the moveable bridge had been driven in large part by a desire to keep the necessary structure low and unobtrusive enough that the view of the surrounding landscape was not unduly impacted. Thus, when a replacement was required, it was necessary to accept another moveable mechanism, or overcome local resistance to a higher structure. Maryland's director of bridges, Earle Jock Freedman, took that challenge to heart ("There's a bridge where you say, 'Who's going to look at it? Everybody.'"). He brought the state's governor to the site, where they decided on a higher structure, but with concessions such as a scenic overlook with benches by the riverbank, and with an intensive public-input campaign, including meetings and talks at local clubs and churches. The resulting public suggestions were incorporated wherever possible.
Robert Thomson, ''After more than half a century, bridge designer calls it quits (maybe)'',

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large n ...

, 10 July 2016

References

External links

Buildings and structures in Annapolis, Maryland Bridges completed in 1994 United States Naval Academy Bridges in Anne Arundel County, Maryland Road bridges in Maryland 1994 establishments in Maryland {{Maryland-road-stub