Study to begin in fall to identify location, possible funding options
ANNAPOLIS, Md. —Gov. Larry Hogan has announced a $5 million study to explore a potential new Chesapeake Bay crossing.
Hogan said Tuesday the Maryland Transportation Authority Board voted last week for the Tier 1 National Environmental Policy Act study.
The study will begin this fall and take up to four years to finish. It will identify the location of a crossing and possible funding options.
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The best place to put it would be from Cambridge to Prince Frederick. Think of the economic impact for Cambridge alone. Many would buy houses and drive across the bridge to work. The only problem is how much fight will the tree huggers put up. They would have to go around the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. No way they will let them put a major road there.
ReplyDeleteThe only option to relieve traffic over the Bay Bridge, Rt 50 or 404 is south so after they cross the Bay they have to use 113 north at Pocomoke. That is common sense, CS. There I go again thinking anyone in Annapolis or other State Offices involved would use common sense. They will only be looking on how they can receive a kickback from their buddy that owns property on the Bay.
ReplyDeletePositive thoughts 6:26...positive thoughts!
ReplyDeleteWhy put another bridge across. It will still be backed up getting into OC. It will take just as long a drive. It will just change where the backups are. The only people it will help are the people that live near Kent Island and Annapolis. Instead of R50 being backed up to Walmart or SDHS it will be backed up to Pittsville.
ReplyDelete628 is correct in my opinion. And the whole thing will be decided at the State Lodge, with comments from all of the local lodges. This is the type of government project that insiders really benefit from. Huge windfall for the powerfully connected.
ReplyDeleteCompletely agree with 626. It'd help disperse the traffic that goes towards the Annapolis span, with those south of Annapolis being able to choose to go via 4 to a Cambridge span. 626 also illustrates the possible downside. That being said, I believe it's the only real option for a 3rd Chesapeake span.
ReplyDeleteWhat a waste of taxpayer money...Look at all the money they spent on bridge and road planning into O.C. only to realize the common sense reality that they need to dualize Rt. 90. Isn't there someone smart enough at SHA to figure this out?
ReplyDeleteHere we go again
ReplyDeleteWhat a joke
State roads just keep doing what you do best and have been doing for the last 4 decades
Playing the orange cone shuffle on each side of the bridge
It just never ends
State of Maryland should just be ashame of itself for such a fine piece of architecture to cross the great Chesapeake Bay
Don't wait for it
Guys this isn't just to get people back and forth to Ocean City. This makes it so if you live, let's say Cambridge, you can work in Southern Maryland. It is also another way for shipping to get into and off of the Eastern Shore.
ReplyDeleteI kinda like the new license plates. I have always like the colors on the Maryland flag for some reason. I think they look nice.
ReplyDeleteYes we need a bridge so the people in Cambridge looking for jobs can go compete with the people in Southern Maryland looking for jobs. Then we can provide free public transportation so the people in Cambridge can get there. The only purpose for adding a new bridge across the bay without increasing the number of lanes into Ocean City would be to relieve the congestion around Annapolis and Kent Island so the upper crust can get to the yacht harbor in a timely manner on Friday and Saturday and not be inconvenienced by heavy traffic on Sunday heading back to the estate. The best way to eliminate the back ups at the bridge would be to eliminate the toll. At the cost of building bridges now it would be cheaper to pay the CBB maintenance out of general funds then to pay for the bond cost and interest of building a new crossing across the Bay.
ReplyDelete8:43 is correct. This is just not about vacation traffic to ocean city.
ReplyDeleteBridge from Crisfield to Smith Island then a tunnel from Smith Island to Reedville, VA.
ReplyDeleteBy doing this you grow Crisfield, you will save all the money wasted on a mail boat and a school boat, proper placement could allow you to shore up Smith Island. With this you have a connection to Baltimore-D.C., you have a connection to Norfolk-Newport News and the last bridge tunnel would give you a quick connection to Richmond. You would also take a huge load off the already overloaded Annapolis bridge. You could connect the west end of the bridge to St Mary's but it leaves you on the wrong side of the Potomic to reach Richmond.
Some very good ideas posted but who's gonna pay for it? Are Maryland residents and US taxpayers willing to foot the bill for another very expensive Bay crossing? In the end, improving the existing access will most likely be the best alternative. After all, no matter how many roads are built you can only cram so many cars into Ocean City. Or Kent Island for that matter.
ReplyDeleteI'd rather see passenger service to OC by train.
ReplyDeleteanother bridge is needed but more importantly why isn't there a toll road to the beach? would appear to be the perfect time to buy up the land and build and expressway to the beach. this would surely cut down on the amount of time needed to get there and pay for itself, and remove the tourists from our local roads. oh but then the state/kops would lose all that revenue from drivers exceeding 55 mph on rt. 50!
ReplyDeletesomeones gonna get rich! and it ain't us!
It needs to allow the drivers to avoid all of the choke points on 50 prior to Cambridge - including the Severn River Bridge in order for it to provide any improvement.
ReplyDelete@ 8:43 allow people to work over there since we cant have jobs over here.
ReplyDeleteBridge-Tunnel system from Crisfield to Reedsville Va. would be longer than the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel from Cape Charles to Norfolk. 22 miles vs. 18 miles. Would be way to expensive. Not even including the infrastructure upgrades that would be needed for the roads leading into Crisfield and Reedsville.
ReplyDelete