Bay Bridge Span Will Close At Times This Week For Roadwork

ANNAPOLIS, MD — The eastbound span of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge will close several times this week for preservation and maintenance roadwork.

Weather permitting, the eastbound crossing will be closed during these times:

• Monday through Wednesday from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. the following morning
• Thursday from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. the following morning
• Friday from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. the following morning
• Saturday from 9 p.m. to 8 a.m. the following morning

These times could change. Closures may start earlier in the night if traffic volumes allow.
The westbound span will be open for two-way traffic.

Drivers can call 1-877-BAYSPAN (1-877-229- 7726) for 24/7 bridge conditions.

The Maryland Transportation Authority recently started replacing the deck, or the roadway, on the eastbound span. Major work will start this winter.

The MDTA expects to finish in the winter spanning late 2025 and early 2026. Crews will work overnight to minimize disruptions.

To learn more about the deck replacement, read Patch's initial story on the $140 million project.

Third Bay Bridge Span

Maryland has debated building a third span of the bridge for years. The state is now making some progress on a required study before seeking approval for another span.

Highway officials are conducting a traffic and environmental review to determine the best way to relieve traffic around the Bay Bridge. This analysis is required for all projects that need federal funding or approval under the National Environmental Policy Act. The Federal Highway Administration manages this process. The evaluation has two tiers.

Maryland conducted a Tier 1 Study from fall 2017 through spring 2022. This phase evaluated more than a dozen corridors to construct a new span. The study also considered the potential for not building a new span at all.

Tier 1 concluded that the best option is to build a third span near the existing two crossings in Annapolis. This area, known as Corridor 7, is 22 miles long and 2 miles wide. It runs from the Severn River Bridge on the Western Shore to the split of U.S. Route 50 and U.S. Route 301 on the Eastern Shore.

What's Next

This $28 million Tier 2 Study started in June 2022.

Over the next several years, the study will examine the traffic and environmental effects of building a crossing somewhere within this corridor. It will also evaluate alternatives like not building another crossing and using ferries or transit instead.

Officials expect to finish Tier 2 in fall 2026.

At that point, Maryland will have an official suggestion on if and where exactly it should build a third crossing.

The funding, design and construction processes would likely take several years beyond that.

Reactions To Bay Bridge Proposals

Leaders agree that traffic continues to be a problem near the Bay Bridge. With 27.6 million crossings in 2019, the bridge has been one of Maryland's worst bottlenecks for years.

Patch contacted Gov. Wes Moore's office to hear about his Bay Bridge goals, but his team has not commented.

Former Gov. Larry Hogan always preferred building an additional span in Annapolis.

"There is only one option I will ever accept: adding a third span to our existing Bay Bridge," Hogan said on Twitter in 2019. "While the federal process requires multiple proposals, the data is indisputable — this option would maximize congestion relief and minimize environmental impact."

By 2040, Hogan said traffic is projected to grow by 22 percent on non-summer weekdays and 14 percent on summer weekends.

How To Participate In Survey

Town meetings were held to comment on a third span earlier this fall.

In addition, the state has an anonymous equity survey that's open until Oct. 16. The survey is available to everybody here.

Residents can also share their thoughts in writing by midnight on Oct. 16 by:

• Submitting an electronic survey/comment form at baycrossingstudy.com/public-involvement/submit-comments
• Emailing comments to info@baycrossingstudy.com
• Printing and mailing a completed survey/comment form to:
  • Bay Crossing Study
  • 2310 Broening Highway Baltimore, MD 21224

Patch Editor Jacob Baumgart reported this story.