Chesapeake Bay Bridge

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This article is about the bridge in Maryland. For the bridge-tunnel in Virginia see Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.

The William Preston Lane, Jr. Memorial Bridge, more commonly known as the Chesapeake Bay Bridge or simply the Bay Bridge, is a major bridge in the state of Maryland in the United States. Running from Sandy Point near Annapolis in Anne Arundel County to Stevensville on Kent Island in Queen Anne's County, the bridge's dual spans connect Maryland's rural Eastern Shore and the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. The bridge crosses the Chesapeake Bay as part of Routes US 50/US 301, and is also part of an alternate route for Interstate 95 between northern Delaware and the Washington, D.C. area. The Bay Bridge is named after William Preston Lane, Jr., who, as Governor of Maryland, implemented its construction.

Contents

1 Specifications and operations
2 History
3 See also
4 External links

Specifications and operations

With lengths of 4.33 and 4.35 miles (6.97 and 7.00 km), the bridges are among the world's longest and most-scenic over-water structures. The original span, built in 1952, has two lanes that normally carry eastbound traffic.

The eastbound span (which originally carried two-way traffic) is of a compound design. The portions nearest the shores consist of some 130 pier-to-pier spans. The center suspension span is 3200 feet in length with a maximum clearance of 186 feet, high enough to accommodate ocean-going vessels and tall ships. To the west, the main suspension span is flanked by thirteen deck truss spans 300 to 500 feet each. To the east, there is a through cantilever span with a 58-foot clearance over the second shipping channel, and flanking deck truss spans on either side of the cantilever.

Increased traffic led to the construction of a parallel span that opened in 1973 immediately to the north of the original span. This bridge has three lanes that normally carry westbound traffic. Operated by the Maryland Transportation Authority (MdTA), the bridge has a one-way (eastbound) toll, which is $2.50 (as of May 2006) for passenger vehicles.

A lane control system, consisting of overhead lane-use signals on the approaches and both spans, is used during peak travel times and incidents to close lanes or reverse traffic flow. For instance, on the outset of weekends during the summer, one lane on the north span is typically reversed to accommodate the heavy volume of eastbound beach traffic.

While there are no pedestrian facilities on the bridge, the Bay Bridge Walk affords an opportunity to cross the bridge on foot. For the walk, held annually since 1975 on the first Sunday in May, the south span is closed for pedestrians and the north span switched to two-way traffic. In 2005, the walk was cancelled—and its future left uncertain—while the MdTA considered decreasing its annual frequency, citing traffic, fiscal, manpower, and security concerns. However, shortly thereafter, the MdTA announced that the 2006 walk would take place after all on Sunday, May 7, 2006. [link].

As prohibiting bicycles may create difficulties, a private, professional service assists cyclists over the Chesapeake Bay for a fee. Calling the service at least 24 hours in advance is suggested.[Maryland Bicycle Map]

History

Distant shot of the Bay Bridge.

As early as the 1880s studies explored the possibility of building a bridge across the Chesapeake Bay and the first real proposal to build such a bridge was in 1907. The 1907 proposal, along with other later proposals called for a crossing between Baltimore and Tolchester Beach. A bridge was almost built in this location in 1927 and was to be privately financed by local businessmen, however, the Stock Market Crash of 1929 brought an end to those plans. Earlier, in 1919 the first regularly scheduled ferry service across the bay began. The ferry ran between Annapolis and Claiborne, a community near St. Michaels, with a stop at Romancoke on southern Kent Island. The first proposal for a bridge in the current location came in 1938 and was approved, however, construction was delayed by World War II.

In 1947, with the war over, Maryland Governor William Preston Lane Jr. helped push for construction of the bridge to proceed. The groundbreaking for the bridge was in 1949, it was completed in 1952, and was dedicated to Governor Lane on November 9, 1967. Also in 1967, due to increasing traffic volumes, the Maryland General Assembly authorized 3 possible new crossings, all suggested as possible new crossings during the 1964 Chesapeake Bay crossing study. These included: one near Baltimore, one in Southern Maryland, and an additional span to be added to the existing bridge, the third option was chosen. Construction of the new span began in 1969 and it was completed and dedicated to William Preston Lane Jr. on June 28, 1973.

In 2003, the bridge was temporarily and completely closed for the first time in its history, during Hurricane Isabel out of the fear that wind speeds would exceed those that could be withstood by the bridge. Other bridges in Maryland, even smaller bridges such as the nearby Kent Narrows Bridge were also closed during the storm.

In 2005, a task force met to again explore the possibillity of building a new Chesapeake Bay crossing. (See: 2005 Chesapeake Bay crossing study)

External links

Maryland Transportation Authority facilities
Bridges	Chesapeake Bay \| Hatem (Susquehanna) \| Key (Outer Harbor) \| Nice (Potomac) \| Tydings
Tunnels	Baltimore Harbor \| Fort McHenry
Highways	Harbor Tunnel Thruway \| JFK Memorial Highway \| I-95 in Baltimore \| I-395

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Chesapeake Bay Bridge

Specifications and operations

History

See also

External links