Maryland officials have narrowed the options for a proposed future replacement to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. The Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) is in the second stage of an environmental review process to determine if the needs for a new bridge outweigh any potential adverse impacts to the surrounding area. Keeping the current spans in safe condition would require investing an estimated $3.8 billion over the next 40 years, roughly half the cost of building something new and would result in worse congestion in the future, according to MDTA documents. One rebuild proposal calls to widen the U.S. 50/301 approaches from six total lanes to eight and build two new bridge spans totaling 10 lanes.
Why it matters: The Chesapeake Bay Bridge is an important transportation corridor for Maryland residents, businesses and our regional economy. A new bridge crossing with higher vertical clearances for cargo ships and a greater number of travel lanes would better secure our future competitiveness.
