Millard E. Tydings Memorial Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Millard E. Tydings Memorial Bridge is located on the John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway in Maryland
and carries Interstate 95
over the Susquehanna River
between Cecil County
and Harford County
. Its annual traffic is 29 million vehicles.
The toll bridge
is named for Millard Tydings
(1890–1961), a long-time political figure in Maryland and a U.S. Senator from 1927–1951. It was constructed between January, 1962 and November, 1963. The bridge crosses between bluffs high above the river valley, and is posted with warning signs "Subject to Crosswind
s."
It was opened in 1963, and along with the highway, was dedicated by U.S. President John F. Kennedy
on Thursday, November 14, 1963, only eight days before he was assassinated in Dallas, Texas
on November 22, 1963. The highway was renamed in 1964 as a memorial to him.
It is a toll facility, one of 8 operated by the Maryland Transportation Authority
. The toll is levied only on northbound traffic. Cars and other two-axle vehicles pay $5.00. Larger vehicles pay an added $5.00 per additional axle.
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...
and carries Interstate 95
Interstate 95 in Maryland
Interstate 95 in Maryland is a major highway that runs diagonally from northeast to southwest, from Maryland's border with Delaware, to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, briefly entering the District of Columbia before reaching Virginia...
over the Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
between Cecil County
Cecil County, Maryland
Cecil County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is part of the Delaware Valley. It was named for Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore , who was the first Proprietary Governor of the colony of Maryland from 1632 until his death in 1675. The county seat is Elkton. The newspaper...
and Harford County
Harford County, Maryland
Harford County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland. In 2010, its population was 244,826. Its county seat is Bel Air. Harford County forms part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area.-History:...
. Its annual traffic is 29 million vehicles.
The toll bridge
Toll bridge
A toll bridge is a bridge over which traffic may pass upon payment of a toll, or fee.- History :The practice of collecting tolls on bridges probably harks back to the days of ferry crossings where people paid a fee to be ferried across stretches of water. As boats became impractical to carry large...
is named for Millard Tydings
Millard Tydings
Millard Evelyn Tydings was an attorney, author, soldier, state legislator, and served as a Democratic Representative and Senator in the United States Congress from Maryland.-Early life:...
(1890–1961), a long-time political figure in Maryland and a U.S. Senator from 1927–1951. It was constructed between January, 1962 and November, 1963. The bridge crosses between bluffs high above the river valley, and is posted with warning signs "Subject to Crosswind
Crosswind
A crosswind is any wind that has a perpendicular component to the line or direction of travel. In aviation, a crosswind is the component of wind that is blowing across the runway making landings and take-offs more difficult than if the wind were blowing straight down the runway...
s."
It was opened in 1963, and along with the highway, was dedicated by U.S. President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
on Thursday, November 14, 1963, only eight days before he was assassinated in Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
on November 22, 1963. The highway was renamed in 1964 as a memorial to him.
It is a toll facility, one of 8 operated by the Maryland Transportation Authority
Maryland Transportation Authority
The Maryland Transportation Authority is an independent state agency responsible for financing, constructing, operating, and maintaining eight toll facilities, currently consisting of two toll roads, two tunnels, and four bridges in Maryland...
. The toll is levied only on northbound traffic. Cars and other two-axle vehicles pay $5.00. Larger vehicles pay an added $5.00 per additional axle.