Bay Bridge Traffic: Nearby Highway Ramps Closing Temporarily To Ease Congestion

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Maryland officials are closing some highway entrance ramps on the Annapolis side of the Bay Bridge to reduce eastbound traffic. Two entrance ramp closures are temporary. One entry and exit ramp closure is permanent.

The state hopes this will encourage drivers to stay on U.S. Routes 50/301 instead of taking parallel service roads to avoid congestion.

Some of the changes are part of a study on how to reduce traffic near the bridge.

The traffic study comes as the state also considers whether it should build a third span of the Bay Bridge. To learn more about that debate, read Patch's latest update.

“Safe and efficient roadway operations for motorists and area residents remains our focus, especially during peak summer travel times,” State Highway Administrator Tim Smith said in a press release. “We appreciate the public’s patience during this summer pilot project as we continue to seek solutions to manage traffic impacts within the Broadneck Peninsula.”

Ramp Closures

The entrance ramps from Whitehall Road (Exit 30) and Oceanic Drive (Exit 32) onto eastbound Routes 50/301 will face temporary closures this summer. The entrance ramps will be closed from 10 a.m. Thursdays to 6 p.m. Sundays. The temporary closures started this Thursday, and they run through Sept. 3.

Crews also permanently closed the Whitehall Road entry and exit crossover (Exit 31) on June 28.

During the closures, drivers trying to reach eastbound Routes 50/301 from Whitehall Road, Skidmore Drive, Oceanic Drive and Old Ferry Slip Road must enter from Buschs Frontage Road/St. Margaret’s Road.

Anybody who continues using the service roads to Oceanic Drive will have to travel back nearly three miles to the only eastbound highway entrance that will be open.

Studying Bay Bridge Traffic

The temporary closures are part of the State Highway Administration's study on reducing traffic around the bridge.

Last summer, Maryland put a temporary traffic signal on the Exit 32 entrance ramp from Oceanic Drive onto eastbound Routes 50/301.

Officials determined they needed more data, so they met with the Broadneck Council of Communities this April to discuss options.

The options were temporarily closing entrance ramps, placing temporary traffic signals on entrance ramps and switching the service roads to one way.

The State Highway Administration decided the temporary ramp closures would be best for data collection, so the state will evaluate the results after the summer.

More information on the study is posted here.

Anybody with questions can call the State Highway Administration District 5 Office at 410-841-1000 or toll-free at 1-800-331-5603.

Anybody with comments can email shainput@mdot.maryland.gov.

Related:

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• Bay Bridge Deck Replacement To Bring Closures Starting In Fall 2023
• New Bay Bridge Span Inches Closer To Reality, MD Launches Next Step
• New Bay Bridge Crossing: MD Officially Proposes Location For 3rd Span