Overview
- The Maryland Transportation Authority announced Thursday that the Federal Highway Administration selected and approved Alternative C, allowing the project to move from study to formal planning and design.
- Alternative C calls for two new four-lane spans with full shoulders, removal of the existing bridge spans, and a navigational clearance of 230 feet to meet U.S. Coast Guard requirements for Port of Baltimore ship access.
- The plan includes widening U.S. 50/301 to eight lanes between west of Oceanic Drive and east of Cox Creek to provide smooth transitions to the new spans and to address chronic summer congestion caused by narrow lanes and no shoulders on the current bridge.
- MDTA says design work is expected to begin in 2028 with construction possibly starting as early as 2032, and the agency projects the crossing could add about $23 billion to the local economy and support more than 60,000 jobs.
- A bicycle and pedestrian shared-use path is listed as an option but will depend on a later MDTA financial feasibility analysis, and MDTA has pledged a one-time transit-related investment and land preservation commitments for the Eastern Shore as part of the approved plan.