Campus Connection

The eastbound lane of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge has been shut down for emergency repairs following detection of what officials are calling minor problems during an inspection.  The inspection came as a result of a three car accident on August 10 that caused a tractor trailer to swerve off the bridge, damaging the jersey railing and resulting in the death of the driver.

The accident knocked out 10 feet of wall and dislodged at least another eight feet on the 4.3 mile bridge. An investigation following the accident found that some of the bolts that attach the concrete barrier to the bridge were corroded.

In an interview with WTOP radio, Maryland Transportation Secretary John Porcari stated, “There's no question that the bridge is structurally sound."

According to Porcari, the bridge goes through a rigorous inspection program, but the corroded bolts within the jersey walls went unnoticed.  He explained, “This is something that's not detectable through normal inspection procedures and it's something that has occurred slowly over time.”

Maryland Senator E.J. Pipkin has called for an independent evaluation of the bridge, because he believes that MTA officials have overstated its safety.  An article in the Washington Post reported Pipkin as saying, "This corrosion didn't happen overnight.  What else don't they know about?”

The repairs have already caused miles of backed up traffic and delays of more than an hour for commuters since the eastbound lane closure on Thursday morning.  The situation is anticipated to worsen over the Labor Day weekend, the last vacation weekend of the summer.

Travelers heading to the Eastern shore of Maryland should consider using Interstate 95 Southbound to Route 1 in Delaware as an alternate route.  The detour is approximately 30 miles longer than crossing the Bay Bridge, and costs $15 in tolls as opposed to $2.50.

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