![]() ![]() Building the bridge itself would cost up to $9 billion. If one of the build routes is selected, there would be another step before final design, right-of-way acquisition, and construction. The study would take four to five years to complete. The MDTA Board is expected to vote on funding for the Tier 2 NEPA later this month. “As we learned from the Tier 1 Study, the public’s contributions in this process are invaluable,” says Ports. MDTA and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) says it will engage with residents, communities, officials, and the general public on the Tier 2 study. MDTA Chairman and Transportation Secretary Jim Ports explains, “The Tier 2 study will identify and evaluate a No-Build Alternative as well as various crossing alignments and types-such as a new bridge, a bridge/tunnel or replacement of existing spans.” Tier 2 will build upon those findings, the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) says, “and identify specific alignment alternatives within Corridor 7, which is two miles wide and 22 miles long, from the Severn River Bridge in Anne Arundel County to the US 50/US 301 split in Queen Anne’s County.” It concluded that Corridor 7, the one containing the existing Bay Bridge, was most feasible. Our MPIA request today is one more step toward that goal.The Bay Crossing Tier 1 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) looked at several locations for possible crossings, along with a no-build alternative. ![]() The AKRF studies are lifting the curtain on what MDTA is keeping to itself, but much still needs to come to light. “AKRF’s latest report for QACA focused on the massive changes that will have to be made to the roadways connecting to a new bridge. A new eight-lane bridge across the Bay would be costly, disruptive, and environmentally damaging in ways that MDTA has yet to acknowledge. BAY BRIDGE TRAFFIC FULL“It may well be that advanced traffic management is off the table at MDTA, but it is crucial for the public and the next Governor to understand the full range of options for dealing with Bay Bridge back-ups. Now MDTA has issued an environmental impact statement openly stating that these kinds of traffic management strategies ‘were eliminated from further consideration as stand-alone alternatives’ to building a new larger bridge. ![]() “Based on input from our traffic consultant AKRF, Inc., we have for some time had serious questions as to why methods used elsewhere in the country to mitigate peak traffic congestion on roads and bridges are not part of MDTA’s tool-kit for the Bay Bridge spans. Jay Falstad, QACA Executive Director stated: Included in the QACA request are MDTA documents pertaining to possible use of peak period variable tolls at the Bridge active management, rapid deployment, and bus/truck restrictions for the Bridge’s reversible lane and accident/incident management on the Bridge. Filed pursuant to the Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA), the request seeks documents that will shed light on MDTA’s decisions regarding congestion management strategies with the potential to reduce back-ups at the Bridge. ![]() The Queen Anne’s Conservation Association (QACA) today made a formal request to inspect Chesapeake Bay Bridge traffic management records of the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA). ![]()
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