MDOT SHA SHIFTS TRAFFIC ON THE US 50 HARRY KELLEY MEMORIAL BRIDGE IN OCEAN CITY

Today, the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) is shifting traffic on the US 50 (Ocean Gateway) Bridge over Sinepuxent Bay (Harry Kelley Memorial Bridge) in Ocean City. This is a temporary shift to create a safe work zone for the next phase of bridge repairs.

Crews are closing the eastbound lanes around the drawbridge, shifting traffic to the westbound side where one lane will run in each direction through early March. This will provide workers the time and space needed to safely perform electrical, mechanical and steel repairs in the machine room, install new underwater electrical cables and renovate the bridge tender's house.

Drawbridge openings will not be permitted for boaters during this time and occasional channel restrictions will be necessary as well. Official marine restriction information is available in the U.S. Coast Guard Local Notice to Mariners at https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pdf/lnms/lnm05032020.pdf.

MDOT SHA has been working closely with the U.S. Coast Guard and local officials in establishing this mid-winter work schedule to minimize impacts to marine and vehicle traffic and the town of Ocean City. As always, we're asking the public to slow down and stay alert when traveling through the work zone.

To help ensure public safety the eastbound sidewalk also will be closed during this work. Pedestrians and cyclists should use the westbound sidewalk.

MDOT SHA will restore two-lane, two-way traffic on the bridge when this work phase is completed in early March. Bridge repairs will continue into 2021 with minimal public impacts during the peak tourist season. Crews have been performing concrete spall repairs underneath the bridge and steel "retrofits" in the drawbridge machine rooms for the past two years. These repairs are designed to extend the expected service life of the bridge by 30 years.