"Original two-lane spans with through-truss suspension bridge and regular cantilever design built 1949-52 and opened 1952; second three-lane span with deck suspension and arched cantilever opened 1973; rehabilitated 1988" [Bridge Hunter Index] The bridge rises 186' above the water. [BayDreaming]
"When the Bay Bridge’s original span opened in July 1952, its 4.3 miles made it the world’s third longest bridge, as well as the world’s longest continuous over-water steel structure. Several superstructure sections of the bridge were built on barges and floated into place." [BayBridge] Once again, ABC (Accelerated Bridge Construction) is not a recent invention.
Like the other Chesapeake Bay crossing, you can hire someone to drive your car across the bridge. In this case, the height adds to the scariness.
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| Boston Public Library Flickr, License: Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) |
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| Boston Public Library Flickr, License: Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted "The Chesapeake Bay Bridge - 1952" by Paul McGehee. Bill Hill: Built by Bethlehem! |
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| Skipjack Heritage, Inc. posted Photo of the Ferry coming into Matapeake from the Eastern Shore at the same time the Chesapeake Bay Bridge was being built. Charles L. Gallion: Matapeake IS on the Eastern shore. Looks like this ferry is coming into the docks on the western shore just south of Sandy Point. Historic Baltimore posted Chesapeake Bay Bridge during construction (1951) Dennis W. Starkey Sr.: MATAPEAKE FERRY !!! |
The original bridge is on the right (South) and the additional bridge is on the left. The third lane on the newer bridge is reversible depending on traffic conditions. For example, people coming home from the beaches on a Sunday evening.
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| Street View, Aug 2019 |
The arch span of the newer bridge. (The pickup was going at the same speed so it is in every view.)
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| Street View, Aug 2019 |
The cantilever span of the original bridge.
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| Street View |
The new bridge has a massive cable-anchor pier at the end of the suspended span as would be expected for a suspension bridge. (Note the two bridge inspection trucks on the left side of this view.)
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| Street View |
I had noticed that the pier at the end of the original suspended span was spindly. Looking closer, that is because additional cables go down to a concrete pier under the first truss span. That struck me as a clever (economical) design, I wonder why the new bridge did not do it that way.
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| Street View |
Because the street view car was driving in the slow lane, I can't get a good view of the concrete pier and cable attachment. This photo shows that the pier for the truss next to the suspended span is solid concrete, as opposed to the pile piers for the other deck trusses, to provide an anchor for the cables.
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| ChesapeakeLiving |
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| Jay Fleming posted Before heading into work this morning I took a walk on the beach to photograph the full moon setting over the bridge. Beautiful morning! Bridges Now and Then shared |
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| Dennis DeBruler commented on the above share I see Jay has several more photos of that bridge, https://www.jayflemingphotography.com/shop |
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| OCMD Life posted Bay Bridge sunset from Saturday [Mar 30, 2024]! |
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| Todd Allen commented on the above post Here’s a sunrise from on top of one of the towers. |
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| Rick Crocetti commented on the above post From last year [2023] |
A closeup of the trusses near the suspension bridge.
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| David Sits posted All chained down in the Annapolis anchorage area at sunset… 2/2/2024 That’s where they anchor while they wait their turn at the dock in Baltimore… Mark Woods: They have schedule and if they dock early they have to pay so they wait but that is more than normal. David Sites is that right??? Jim Beirnes: Mark Woods way more than normal. Usually like 5 is max. Paul Kozel shared |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted Building the westbound span of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, September, 1972. (MDTA) |
In the Google search results I saw some entries about a third bridge. Now I see a proposal for an 8-lane bridge to replace the existing bridges. [wbaltv] Just skimming some of the articles, the "need" for more capacity is to accommodate beach traffic. I think Federal money should pay for adding more lanes to I-80 through Joliet and replacing the Des Plaines River Bridges before it pays for some people having sun and fun on the beaches.
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| Bridges Now and Then posted Building the westbound span of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, May, 1972. . (MDTA) Allan Gilbert: I was supposed to be a deck engineer on a derrick like that, my union said no. |
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| Dan Murphy posted Chesapeake Bay Bridge C Patrick Zilliacus: Looking east. On the right is the original two-lane span, opened in 1952. On the left is the "new" three-lane span, opened 1972. The five lanes are set-up so that all traffic can be moved to one span if needed, running in two-way operation. When there is heavy demand eastbound, one lane of the (normally) westbound span will run eastbound if weather conditions permit - this is generally done on weekday afternoons and on the day before a major beach holiday (Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day) Dan Murphy: Indeed there was 2-way traffic flow on the westbound span on this day. It's a creative operational maneuver in terms of maximizing the capacity of the spans, but it also highlights how antiquated the crossing has become. Bridges Now and Then shared |
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| Michael Cheek posted Under the dual spans of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge viewed from a sightseeing tour boat out of Annapolis. The William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial Bridge (official name) carries US-50 and US-301 over the Chesapeake Bay connecting Maryland’s Eastern and Western Shores. Janet Kacewich: Love this bridge - such a fun drive! Especially when there is a lot of traffic and they have you drive North in the left lane of the Southbound span 😁 Peter M. Frisolone: i was on that last november, and the wind was a howlin'...i was driving my mom's little ford escape, thank god i had two passengers to weigh it down.... Dan O'Donohoe: Those look so unsupported Patrick O'Donnell: Dan O'Donohoe 1,600 feet span from tower to their respective towers. The current record holder is a bridge in Turkey at 6,637 feet. The longest in the US is the Verrrazzano Narrows in NYC at 4,460 feet. China right now has three under construction that are 7,000+ feet, the longest being 7,546 feet. A fourth is scheduled to break ground later this year. |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted December 23, 1950, Chesapeake Bay Bridge construction is seen from Maryland's Eastern Shore. (R.F. Kniesche/Baltimore Sun Staff File Photos) |
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| Ahmid Hatten posted Aerial photograph taken circa 1950 by James Kelmartin for the Baltimore News-Post from above Route 50 at Sandy Point in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, showing construction of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. ca. 1950 Sloan Farrell shared75 years ago [from 2025], building the first Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Ferry landing is in the lower right. Would be 4 miles in length. |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted, cropped Lifting a section of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge into place during construction, August 15, 1952. (Janet Eilber/Baltimore Sun) [So ABC (Accelerated Bridge Construction) is not nearly as new as some engineering firms like to think.] |
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| Historic Baltimore posted Chesapeake Bay Bridge during construction. (1952) |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted A look at Chesapeake Bay Bridge construction on July 30, 1952. (Baltimore Sun Staff File Photos) |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted Chesapeake Bay Bridge construction, August 1, 1952. (Janet Eilber/Baltimore Sun) |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted, cropped Here's a look at construction on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, June 4, 1952. (A. Aubrey Bodine/Baltimore Sun) |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted, cropped Checking the alignment of pier forms before pouring concrete on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, December 31, 1950. (A. Aubrey Bodine/Baltimore Sun) |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted, cropped The Chesapeake Bay Bridge nears completion in March,1952. |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted November 22, 1978: A never ending job: A paint crew member straddles a steel I-beam underneath the old Chesapeake Bay Bridge in his constant task of painting the 4.5-mile structure. It takes five years and 30,000 gallons of silvery aluminum paint to cover the bridge from one end to the other. When that is accomplished, it’s time to start all over again. Dave Frieder: Bridges are NEVER painted from end to end continuously. A bridge would be fully painted but even with today's modern non lead based paints they are only touched up over the years. After 15-20 years THEN they are full painted again. |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted Floating in a section of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge during construction, August 15, 1951 (Janet Eilber Baltimore Sun) |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted Construction on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, c. 1951. |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted Cars on the ferry get a nice view of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge being built, May 29, 1951. (Baltimore Sun) |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted An August, 1951, look at progress on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, photo by Robert Kniesche. James Torgeson: The ferry slips are in the lower right! Tee Gerardi: And appears to be a ferry boat approaching the slip !!! |
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| Historic Baltimore posted The second Bay Bridge Span under construction. (1971) |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted, cropped People enjoying a frozen Chesapeake Bay with the Chesapeake Bay Bridges in the background. Photo by Bob Disharoon, 1977. |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted Electrician Nicholas C. Guerieri works on the main east tower pier 26 during construction of the first Chesapeake Bay Bridge in 1952. (Hans Marx/Baltimore Sun) |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted July 5, 1950, Chesapeake Bay Bridge construction looking west. (R.F. Kniesche, Baltimore Sun File Photos) [A ferry is in a dock.] |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted An undated photo of the original span of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, opened in 1952. |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted The Chesapeake Bay Bridge - 1952. (Paul McGehee) |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted Chesapeake Bay Bridge construction, August 1, 1952. (Janet Eilber/Baltimore Sun Staff Photo) |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted, cropped High above Chesapeake Bay, Fil Horton inspects cables during construction of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, April 6, 1952. (Hans Marx) |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted The Chesapeake Bay Bridge during construction, May 10, 1952. (Baltimore Sun Staff File Photos) [In this view we can see the cables going down to the base of the truss pier.] |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted E.R. Davis, Sr., is seen here during construction of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, April 6, 1952. (Hans Marx/Baltimore Sun Staff File Photo) Dave Frieder: Diagonal of the stiffening Truss. |
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| Historic Baltimore posted Chesapeake Bay Bridge under construction. (1952) Photography by John Flack: Probably the last time it wasn't backed up... |
After the Francis Scott Key Bridge tragedy, I looked for pier protections on a satellite map. I could not find any! I don't see any in this view either. Yet every ship that goes to Baltimore passes under this bridge.
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| Mike, Sep 2022 |
This has some nice views of these bridges.
Kara Ke posted four photos with the comment: "Shoutout to our United States Coast Guard for traveling the entire 120 nautical mile journey to escorting the M/V Dali out to sea to Norfolk."
David Case Jr.: She isn't heading to sea. She's heading to Norfolk Va to be unloaded and repairs.
Kara Ke: David Case Jr. I’m aware. Due to interpretation, she’s out of our channel.
[A comment indicated they also sent four tugboats with it. The containers were not removed in Baltimore because it needs the weight to get under the bridges. Lots of comments about "out to sea." I looked at a map and it is true that you can get to Norfolk without leaving the Chesapeake Bay.]
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David Sites posted four photos with the comment: "This is the 1200 foot [366m] long EVERGREEN “EVER MAGI” Container Ship, at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge after leaving Baltimore on Saturday, 8/30/2025."
Sloan Farrell shared
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Whoops
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| WMAR-2 News Baltimore posted Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) looks to calm fears over image showing apparent cracks in Bay Bridge https://www.wmar2news.com/.../both-spans-of-the-bridge... David Huntt: Federal inspectors have stated the bridge is in need of “urgent repairs”, and has not had a vulnerability risk assessment. I trust NTSB over MDTA. [I did not find the NTSB calling for urgent repairs. The NTSB complaint is that they have not conformed to some red tape requirements.] Jerry Meyers: This structural engineer has given this post some thought, so an amended comment as this may be a serious situation would like to motivate a reasoned discussion . Looking at the bridge girder on the pier, it is NOT centered as designed and can not transmit compressive stress as envisioned into the concrete pier. The load path from the right horizontal girder is almost non existent. The off centered placement must be inducing more compressive stress on part of the pier. Likely transmitting extra torque or moment into the pier. Looking further at the bridge pier in question as seen in the first comment, the right horizontal girder is almost completely offset from the pier. Very likely, in time, it would not be able to transfer its load to the column. From the photo, it is impossible to determine the composition of the girder resting on the pier. If it is a box girder, we could have local bucking on its right vertical side and over-stress on its horizontal sides due to bending moments. Wonder if horizontal forces on the bridge deck is causing this. If the right horizontal bridge girder is so displaced to the right, there are likely dislocations on adjoining piers. A word of caution to those declaring this safe, looks like we are taking credit for the safety factor which is not in the intent of Codes to be used for design. They are there for emergency repair or what we structural engineers call “run away time.” Strongly recommend an immediate expert peer review and a rapid remediation plan if called for. Have not said this for a while, but MDOT and Gov Moore need put up their calculations and prove me wrong. Would be delighted to stand corrected. We do not need a second bridge collapse in Maryland. [I would like to know what the design safety factor was and what percentage of that factor is lost because the cap is no longer centered over the pile. And why did the pile move and how much more is it going to move?] |
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| wmar2news, cropped "The photograph in question shows apparent cracks forming in one of the bridge's pillars and support beams." [Did MDOT tell the reporter that cracks were the issue, or was that the reporter's mistake? The issue is that the pier cap is not centered over its pile.] |
"MDTA conducted an inspection of the pier yesterday and confirmed that there is no indication of movement or distress at the location," MDTA said.Here is how MDTA summed things up when describing what some could perceive as deteriorating conditions in the photos."While the image of the pier cap appears off-centered, the bridge girders - the key structural components supporting the span - are aligned and centered with the pier cap. Importantly, the positioning has not changed since the bridge's construction."
There is no way that I'm believing that the bridge was built like that. If it was, why did the state accept it?
I was one of the people who notified Casey Jones of this issue.
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| 8:17 video Is the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Safe? |
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| Washington Times Local posted The new bridge spans would also be roughly 50 feet taller, making the new structure the same height as the Key Bridge being built in Baltimore. Taller bridges let today’s massive container ships pass under and access the Port of Baltimore. |
If you want to skip the list of current problems, then skip to here. The price tag is already $15-$17 billion. At best, construction won't start for another 5 years.
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| 12:39 video @ 5:46 |
