The Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) is considering a proposal that could almost double the traffic capacity on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.
This Thursday, the MDTA is set to vote on a proposed plan that involves new four-lane spans for the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.
As part of the Chesapeake Bay Crossing Study, officials at local, state, and federal levels have reviewed seven alternative bridge designs. In a recent news release, they endorsed “Alternative C” for further development.
Alternative C entails constructing two new four-lane bridges while dismantling the current Bay Bridge structures, effectively nearly doubling the bridge’s traffic capacity.
MDTA Executive Director Bruce Gartner praised this option, stating in a recent announcement that it is the most cost-efficient choice and has the least impact on natural, socio-economic, and cultural resources.
The new lanes are designed to include full shoulders across the entire bay area, which the report suggests will enhance safety and provide greater “capacity, reliability, and mobility” for transportation.
The initiative also plans to widen U.S. Routes 50/301 in specific sections, allowing for four lanes in each direction to facilitate smooth transitions to the new crossing.
“This plan will promote safety through full shoulders and wider lanes, potentially infusing between $17 billion and $23 billion into the local economy, and generating between 61,300 and 75,600 jobs, with 76% of those being directly related to construction,” Gartner noted.
The MDTA is currently assessing the possible inclusion of bicycle and pedestrian pathways in the final design.
Should Alternative C be approved, the projected construction sequence will unfold as follows:
- Initially, a new eastbound span will be constructed to the south of the existing roadway.
- Once the new eastbound span is operational, the old eastbound lanes will be removed.
- Following that, a new westbound span will be built between the two current bridge structures.
- Finally, the new westbound spans will open, allowing for the demolition of the old westbound lanes.
Public hearings regarding Alternative C are set to take place in February.
The various alternative plans stem from research initiated by the Bay Crossing Study in 2022 when officials decided to advance reconstruction plans. In 2024, the public was introduced to seven potential bridge designs.
If Alternative C receives approval, the MDTA will collaborate with the Federal Highway Administration and other regulatory bodies to finalize construction designs. The Final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision are expected to be finalized by November 2026.
If everything progresses as anticipated and funding is secured, the ultimate design phase could commence in 2028, with construction projected to begin in 2032.
