To leave the DelMarVa Peninsula, Route 50 crosses the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, which connects densely populated areas such as Washington D.C. and Baltimore with Atlantic beaches and other resort destinations.
When it was built in 1952, the bridge was “the world’s longest continuous over-water steel structure” at 4.3 miles. Demand soon overwhelmed the bridge’s capacity, and a second span was completed in 1973.
Demand still overwhelms the bridge.
On a typical Saturday morning in early August, traffic was stop-and-go for about a mile approaching the bridge from the east. Those cars were full of people, like me, who were trying to leave the shore. Lots more — those who spent a last morning at the beach for just one more swim — would be coming behind us.
This photo shows the people who were heading toward the shore on Route 50, probably to replace us at the beach. Their traffic was backed up perhaps two miles. It would probably get worse.
What to do? The Maryland Transportation Authority says the best times to cross the bridge (during the summer, in the vicinity of a weekend) are Thursday and Friday before 10:00 AM and after 10:00 PM.
Perhaps that schedule doesn’t fully satisfy you. If not, you’ll be glad to know there have been years of official studies on how to develop a more comprehensive solution.
No decision has been reached.
___
Photos by the author.