2005 Chesapeake Bay crossing study
Encyclopedia
The 2005 Chesapeake Bay crossing study (also known as the Task Force on Traffic Capacity Across the Chesapeake Bay) was a study conducted by the state of Maryland
in 2005 in order to explore the possibility of building a new crossing of the Chesapeake Bay
. The crossing would either be an entirely new crossing that would complement the existing Chesapeake Bay Bridge
and Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel
in Virginia
or would be an upgrade to the current Maryland crossing (by adding a third span).
Over the past years, traffic congestion
has become an increasing problem for the Chesapeake Bay Bridge
. During the MdTA's 2004 fiscal year (July 1–June 30), it was utilized by approximately 25.8 million vehicles. Plans by Maryland to construct a third crossing of the Chesapeake Bay are currently in the preliminary stages. During the summer and fall of 2005, a specially-appointed task force met to discuss the pros and cons of building a new bridge in four different locations. Members of the task force included Maryland Secretary of Transportation Robert L. Flanagan who chaired the task force, and Maryland State Senator E. J. Pipkin.
and Kent
Counties ("Zone 1"), adding a third bridge adjacent to the existing bridges ("Zone 2"), a crossing from Anne Arundel County
or Calvert County
to Talbot County
("Zone 3"), and a southern crossing between southern Calvert County and Dorchester County
("Zone 4"). http://www.mdta.state.md.us/mdta/BayCrossing/BriefingBook/Taskforce_Briefing_Book_2-001.pdf
would become suburb
s of Baltimore.
and Kent Island
due to development near the highway.
, the most popular of the Eastern Shore resorts, and the Western Shore
than the current crossing. Its major downfalls are that a series of small bridges would have to be built in Talbot County to serve the bridge, and the bridge itself would be 10–12 miles long, over twice as long as the existing crossing and almost comparable to the length of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel
.
land. In addition, it would divert less traffic than the other crossings and, like the Zone 3 crossing, it would require the construction of small bridges on the Eastern Shore side. The total lengths of these bridges could be greater than the length of the main bridge itself.
ferry
service between Baltimore and Rock Hall
was proposed to begin by mid-2007; however, the service did not receive authorization from the Maryland General Assembly
and therefore never came to fruition. Reasons the service was not seen as a viable option included the fact that a ferry would take longer to cross than a car driving over a bridge, and those seeking the path of least resistance
when crossing would opt for using the bridge. Also, fees would be much higher with a ferry service to cross a car ($25 to $45) versus a bridge (current charge on existing bridge is $2.50). Estimates are that a ferry service would only be able to transport approximately 25,000 to 335,000 vehicle per year versus 24 million vehicles per year with a bridge. The task force concluded that a ferry service would not address the traffic congestion in a sufficient matter to be considered as a viable alternative, but may be a possible recreational feature for the bay. In early 2007, a private organization announced plans for a commuter ferry service that would directly link Kent Island with Baltimore and Annapolis. Unlike earlier proposals, the ferries would not carry vehicles, allowing them to carry more passengers than a vehicle-carrying ferry. Because of this, the ferries will connect with the local transit systems in Baltimore and Annapolis. Maryland governor Martin O'Malley
has stated that he prefers a ferry over a new bridge. If any ferry service comes about, it would be the first major cross-bay ferry service in Maryland since the building of the Bay Bridge. Proposals have also been made for a new rail bridge rather than a highway bridge to cross the bay as part of a public transportation line.
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
in 2005 in order to explore the possibility of building a new crossing of the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
. The crossing would either be an entirely new crossing that would complement the existing Chesapeake Bay Bridge
Chesapeake Bay Bridge
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge is a major dual-span bridge in the U.S. state of Maryland. Spanning the Chesapeake Bay, it connects the state's rural Eastern Shore region with the more urban Western Shore. The original span opened in 1952 and, at the time, with a length of , it was the world's longest...
and Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel
Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel is a long fixed link crossing the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay and connecting the Delmarva Peninsula's Eastern Shore of Virginia with Virginia Beach and the metropolitan area of Hampton Roads, Virginia...
in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
or would be an upgrade to the current Maryland crossing (by adding a third span).
Over the past years, traffic congestion
Traffic congestion
Traffic congestion is a condition on road networks that occurs as use increases, and is characterized by slower speeds, longer trip times, and increased vehicular queueing. The most common example is the physical use of roads by vehicles. When traffic demand is great enough that the interaction...
has become an increasing problem for the Chesapeake Bay Bridge
Chesapeake Bay Bridge
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge is a major dual-span bridge in the U.S. state of Maryland. Spanning the Chesapeake Bay, it connects the state's rural Eastern Shore region with the more urban Western Shore. The original span opened in 1952 and, at the time, with a length of , it was the world's longest...
. During the MdTA's 2004 fiscal year (July 1–June 30), it was utilized by approximately 25.8 million vehicles. Plans by Maryland to construct a third crossing of the Chesapeake Bay are currently in the preliminary stages. During the summer and fall of 2005, a specially-appointed task force met to discuss the pros and cons of building a new bridge in four different locations. Members of the task force included Maryland Secretary of Transportation Robert L. Flanagan who chaired the task force, and Maryland State Senator E. J. Pipkin.
Options
Scenarios for the new bridge include a northern crossing between BaltimoreBaltimore County, Maryland
Baltimore County is a county located in the northern part of the US state of Maryland. In 2010, its population was 805,029. It is part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Towson. The name of the county was derived from the barony of the Proprietor of the Maryland...
and Kent
Kent County, Maryland
Kent County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland, on its Eastern Shore. It was named for the county of Kent in England. Its county seat is Chestertown. In 2010, the county population was 20,197...
Counties ("Zone 1"), adding a third bridge adjacent to the existing bridges ("Zone 2"), a crossing from Anne Arundel County
Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Anne Arundel County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is named for Anne Arundell , a member of the ancient family of Arundells in Cornwall, England and the wife of Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore. Its county seat is Annapolis, which is also the capital of the state...
or Calvert County
Calvert County, Maryland
Calvert County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It occupies the Calvert Peninsula which is bordered on the east by the Chesapeake Bay and on the west by the Patuxent River. Calvert County is part of the Southern Maryland region. Calvert County's residents are among the highest...
to Talbot County
Talbot County, Maryland
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*81.4% White*12.8% Black*0.2% Native American*1.2% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.6% Two or more races*2.7% Other races*5.5% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
("Zone 3"), and a southern crossing between southern Calvert County and Dorchester County
Dorchester County, Maryland
Dorchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland on its Eastern Shore. It is bordered by the Choptank River to the north, Talbot County to the northwest, Caroline County to the northeast, Wicomico County to the southeast, Sussex County, Delaware, to the east, and the Chesapeake...
("Zone 4"). http://www.mdta.state.md.us/mdta/BayCrossing/BriefingBook/Taskforce_Briefing_Book_2-001.pdf
Zone 1
Roughly 50% of summer-weekend bridge traffic originates from Baltimore, and Baltimore accounts for 70% of non-summer weekday bridge traffic. In addition, the crossing will be across more shallow waters than the other crossings. The cons for building a bridge in such a location include the need to upgrade roads in Kent County, as well as Kent County residents' concerns that historic towns in the county such as ChestertownChestertown, Maryland
Chestertown is a town in Kent County, Maryland, United States. The population was 4,746 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Kent County. The ZIP code is 21620 and the area codes are 410 and 443...
would become suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
s of Baltimore.
Zone 2
The plan for Zone 2 would have the existing crossing upgraded by adding a third span to it, thus increasing the capacity of US 50/301 across the bay. This option, the equivalent of which was chosen in the 1960s studies, would require the shortest bridge. However, in order to accommodate the higher capacity of the upgraded crossing (planned to be 10 lanes total), US 50/301 would have to be widened, which would be difficult mostly through AnnapolisAnnapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
and Kent Island
Kent Island, Maryland
Kent Island is the largest island in the Chesapeake Bay, and a historic place in Maryland. To the east, a narrow channel known as the Kent Narrows barely separates the island from the Delmarva Peninsula, and on the other side, the island is separated from Sandy Point, an area near Annapolis, by...
due to development near the highway.
Zone 3
A new option explored during the 2000s studies was for a crossing from either Anne Arundel or Calvert County to Talbot County. This crossing would divert more traffic than the Zone 4 crossing while still providing a more direct connection between Ocean CityOcean City, Maryland
Ocean City, sometimes known as OC, or OCMD, is an Atlantic Ocean resort town in Worcester County, Maryland, United States. Ocean City is widely known in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and is a frequent destination for vacationers in that area...
, the most popular of the Eastern Shore resorts, and the Western Shore
Western Shore
Maryland's Western Shore, not to be confused with Western Maryland, is an area of Maryland west of the Chesapeake Bay. The term does not identify an official region of Maryland but it is often used in contrast to "Eastern Shore"...
than the current crossing. Its major downfalls are that a series of small bridges would have to be built in Talbot County to serve the bridge, and the bridge itself would be 10–12 miles long, over twice as long as the existing crossing and almost comparable to the length of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel
Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel is a long fixed link crossing the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay and connecting the Delmarva Peninsula's Eastern Shore of Virginia with Virginia Beach and the metropolitan area of Hampton Roads, Virginia...
.
Zone 4
The southern crossing, between Calvert and Dorchester Counties, would provide the most direct connection between Ocean City and the Western Shore. It has met with much opposition, however, due to environmental concerns that the approach roads on the Eastern Shore would be built on marshMarsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
land. In addition, it would divert less traffic than the other crossings and, like the Zone 3 crossing, it would require the construction of small bridges on the Eastern Shore side. The total lengths of these bridges could be greater than the length of the main bridge itself.
Other possibilities
In 2006 a hydrofoilHydrofoil
A hydrofoil is a foil which operates in water. They are similar in appearance and purpose to airfoils.Hydrofoils can be artificial, such as the rudder or keel on a boat, the diving planes on a submarine, a surfboard fin, or occur naturally, as with fish fins, the flippers of aquatic mammals, the...
ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
service between Baltimore and Rock Hall
Rock Hall, Maryland
Rock Hall is a town in Kent County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,396 at the 2000 census.The town is a center for the fishing, crabbing, and oystering industries in Kent County as well as a home to marinas that cater to the pleasure craft that sail the Chesapeake Bay...
was proposed to begin by mid-2007; however, the service did not receive authorization from the Maryland General Assembly
Maryland General Assembly
The Maryland General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland. It is a bicameral body. The upper chamber, the Maryland State Senate, has 47 representatives and the lower chamber, the Maryland House of Delegates, has 141 representatives...
and therefore never came to fruition. Reasons the service was not seen as a viable option included the fact that a ferry would take longer to cross than a car driving over a bridge, and those seeking the path of least resistance
Path of least resistance
The path of least resistance describes the physical or metaphorical pathway that provides the least resistance to forward motion by a given object or entity, among a set of alternative paths. The concept is often used to describe why an object or entity takes a given path.In physics, the path of...
when crossing would opt for using the bridge. Also, fees would be much higher with a ferry service to cross a car ($25 to $45) versus a bridge (current charge on existing bridge is $2.50). Estimates are that a ferry service would only be able to transport approximately 25,000 to 335,000 vehicle per year versus 24 million vehicles per year with a bridge. The task force concluded that a ferry service would not address the traffic congestion in a sufficient matter to be considered as a viable alternative, but may be a possible recreational feature for the bay. In early 2007, a private organization announced plans for a commuter ferry service that would directly link Kent Island with Baltimore and Annapolis. Unlike earlier proposals, the ferries would not carry vehicles, allowing them to carry more passengers than a vehicle-carrying ferry. Because of this, the ferries will connect with the local transit systems in Baltimore and Annapolis. Maryland governor Martin O'Malley
Martin O'Malley
Martin Joseph O'Malley is an American Democratic politician who is currently serving as the 61st Governor of Maryland. Previously, he served as the mayor of Baltimore from 1999 to 2007. He is currently the chairman of the Democratic Governors Association.-Early life, education and career:O'Malley...
has stated that he prefers a ferry over a new bridge. If any ferry service comes about, it would be the first major cross-bay ferry service in Maryland since the building of the Bay Bridge. Proposals have also been made for a new rail bridge rather than a highway bridge to cross the bay as part of a public transportation line.