Traveling westbound on the new span of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge near Annapolis, Maryland.
Ground was broken on the new span of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in 1969 and was ultimately opened in 1973, despite having been date stamped as 1972. The new span carries three of the Bay Bridge's five lanes. Most of the bridge utilizes girder-and-pier and deck-truss designs, with a through-truss span and iconic suspension span at the center of the bridge.
Being four miles long, 186 feet high at its tallest point, subject to crosswinds, and having no shoulders, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge is known by some as "America's Scariest Bridge", so much so that Maryland Transportation Authority has contracts with private companies to provide transportation services upon request. The new span is considered by some to be even scarier than the original span because the left-most lane of the bridge is often reversed during rush-hour, resulting in two-way traffic on the bridge. In addition, most of the new span uses true "guard rails" (metal fences) rather than solid parapet walls that most overpasses today use. Only on the through-truss and suspension spans are concrete parapet walls actually found. This use of transparent guard rails gives drivers a vivid view of the water they're driving over.
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge is not to be confused with the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, which connects the DelMarVa peninsula to mainland Virginia.
Old Span / Eastbound: • Chesapeake Bay Bridge ...
7 сен 2024
