Bay Bridge Replacement: MD Voting On Demolition, Rebuild Proposal

ANNAPOLIS, MD — A new Bay Bridge could be one step closer to reality this week.

The Maryland Transportation Authority, which owns and operates the crossing, will vote on its preferred bridge construction plan Thursday at 9 a.m. Officials hope a new and wider bridge would alleviate traffic transiting the Chesapeake Bay.

All signs point to the MDTA backing a plan to demolish the existing two spans and replace them with two new spans with four lanes each. Known as "Alternative C," this proposal would include full shoulders on both spans. U.S. Route 50/301 would be widened to eight lanes, with four per direction, from west of Oceanic Drive to east of Cox Creek.

The bridge would also be higher off the water, matching the clearance of the forthcoming Key Bridge replacement and allowing larger ships access to the Port of Baltimore.

The plan is far from final, however. Several agencies need to sign off before the project can get the all-clear late next fall. Only then could design begin. Any possible construction is likely over 6 years away.

“This recommendation is an exciting step that moves us closer to a Bay crossing that provides a smoother travel experience for those who drive over the bridge and the Marylanders who live by it,” Maryland Department of Transportation Acting Secretary Samantha J. Biddle said in a Tuesday press release. “Alternative C is the option that best supports Marylanders’ current and future daily travel needs with the least environmental impact on our treasured Chesapeake Bay.”

The MDTA is also considering including a shared bicycle and pedestrian path. Transit-related improvements are another possibility.

“Alternative C best fulfills the study’s purpose and need while considering environmental and financial responsibility,” MDTA Executive Director Bruce Gartner said in the release. “Of the build alternatives, it is the most cost-effective, impacts the least amount of natural, socio-economic and cultural resources. It would enhance safety with full shoulders and wider lanes, bring between $17 to $23 billion into the local economy, and create 61,300 to 75,600 jobs with 76% direct employment of construction workers.”

The proposal is still in the middle of a years-long Tier 2 review required by the National Environmental Policy Act. The public can comment on the review's recommendation and Draft Environmental Impact Statement in late January 2026. Public hearings are planned for February 2026.

After the public comment period, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Maryland Department of the Environment and other state and federal agencies will be invited to concur on the preferred alternative in spring 2026.

The Federal Highway Administration and the MDTA will then sign off on the Final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision, anticipated in November 2026.

The Tier 2 study began in June 2022, considering all possible ways to address the aging Bay Bridge. The study team narrowed the options to seven retained alternatives in December 2024.

If the project progresses as planned, design would start in spring 2028, and construction would begin in summer 2032.

Drivers can visit baycrossingstudy.com for upcoming announcements regarding the Draft Environmental Impact Statement and public hearings.

The MDTA Board meeting will be viewable at mdta.maryland.gov/Meeting_Schedules/MDTA_Board_Meeting_Schedule.html.

Related:

• Bay Bridge Traffic Changes Begin Ahead Of Busy MD Beach Season
• Bay Bridge At Higher Risk Of Ship Strike, Safety Improvements Planned
• Bay Bridge Replacement: Could New Crossing Have 10 Lanes Split Between 2 Spans?