All Chesapeake Bay Bridge Lanes To Reopen For Summer 2020

ANNAPOLIS, MD — This summer, all lanes of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge will be open thanks to deck work on the westbound right lane being completed a year ahead of schedule and all-electronic tolling goes live.

“Our entire team has spent the past few months working around the clock to make today’s announcement possible. I want to thank all of the men and women who are designing and constructing these important projects, as well as everyone who operates, maintains, and protects the bridge and its travelers each and every day," said Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan in a statement.

At the Oct. 16, 2019 board of public works meeting, Hogan instructed the MDTA to expedite the schedule for the Bay Bridge's deck rehabilitation project and to implement all-electronic tolling at the Bay Bridge as soon as possible. The MDTA developed an aggressive plan to complete the westbound right lane work and bring AET to Bay Bridge travelers by summer 2020.

“Following the governor’s direction, we’ve been working closely with the contractor to further minimize impacts to the public while continuing to expedite work,” said MDTA Executive Director
James Ports. “With warmer temperatures forecasted the week of Feb. 2, the first rapid-set concrete pours will be able to take place during planned overnight closures between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. and not impact daytime traffic.”

As a result of the expedited schedule, all milling work is complete and 54 percent of the latex modified concrete is placed. Upcoming work on the westbound span includes finishing the latex modified concrete in the right lane, replacing joints, repairing deck punctures, replacing steel rail posts, taking down jersey barriers and restriping lanes. Work will continue on the all-electronic tolling project, which calls for utility relocation, roadway reconstruction and installation of the new eastbound tolling gantry between the bridge and MD 8.

The deck rehabilitation project began in September 2019, after over a decade of deferred maintenance resulted in severe deterioration of the westbound right lane surface, posing a number of safety risks to motorists.