Crane to appear near Bay Bridge ahead of re-decking

In a press release from MDTA, plans for off-peak utility work under the bridge on the Eastern Shore side of the bridge were outlined, along with a caution to motorists, “While traffic impacts are expected to be minimal, drivers will be able to see the crane when crossing the bridge. With safety in mind, the Maryland Transportation Authority is reminding motorists to pay attention to the road and obey overhead lane-use signals at all times. The crane will operate along various sections of the bridge from the western shore to the Eastern Shore, and a second crane will arrive late spring for additional advance under-bridge work.”

There will be no need for 24/7 lane closures, with all proposed work to be completed off peak (overnight) and two-way operations on the westbound span (weather permitting). Both bridges will continue to be fully operational during peak hours.

Included in the March 7 press release were the first real descriptions of the work to be completed. Deck sections will be pre-cast off-site, barged to the Bay Bridge, and lifted into place during overnight shifts, following the removal of existing sections. MDTA commits to having the lanes reopened in time for the morning commute.

According to the press release, the eastbound deck replacement includes the deck floor, barrier upgrades, structural rehabilitation of the steel superstructure, lane-use signal gantry replacements and utility relocations, as well as off-site stormwater management work. In October 2022, the Maryland Transportation Authority Board approved the construction services contract for the first section to Kokosing McLean, of Anne Arundel County.

In the March 7 release, MDTA said, “The timing of future phases and other projects will depend on available funding and bridge conditions for the 71 year old span. This phase of the project will only replace about a mile of the 4.35 mile bridge.”

During the March 10 weekly meeting of the Eastern Shore Delegation, Delegate Steve Arentz pressed MDTA Secretary Paul Wiedefeld for additional information on future phases. Should the current proposal move forward, Arentz asked for assurances it would not be considered for future phases.

Concerns in the community surround the disposition of the old Bay Bridge sections. The old sections of the bridge will become valuable material used in support of a long standing and very successful DNR initiative known as Maryland Department of Natural Resources Artificial Reef Initiative (MARI), Bortz noted.

The Chesapeake Bay has a long history of artificial reef construction. Of local note was the use of the rubble resulting from the demolition of Memorial Stadium in 2002, which was deposited off the mouth of the Patapsco River. The amount of rubble was enough to cover a baseball diamond nine yards deep, and it provided enough habitat to support an ambitious endeavor to plant some four million baby oysters on the reef. These oysters were planted as a part of MARI.

Research shows concrete, either in fabricated units specifically designed for artificial reefs or imperfect concrete manufactured products, such as culvert or rubble from razed buildings, sidewalks, roadways and bridges, has a demonstrated success rate as artificial reef material marine environments.

A vocal opponent to this plan, Chairman of the Delmarva Fisheries Association Captain Robert Newberry, directed his concerns to the Queen Anne’s County Commissioners during a recent meeting. Newberry condemned the use of the Bay Bridge sections in this fashion. In his statement before the council, he cited an instance in Virginia’s Lynnhaven River where roadway materials used for artificial reef construction were now having to be removed at great expense.

Other concerns relate to oyster harvesting. The artificial substrates are not easy on the dredging rigs in popular use today, and can destroy equipment quickly, forcing watermen to resort to more traditional methods such as tonging and diving in order to fill their catch. These traditional methods are more time consuming and less cost effective, and are not supported by the market price. However, many of the artificial reefs are not open to commercial fishing.

According to state 2022 harvest results, Maryland reported the largest harvest in nearly four decades. While many of the reefs being built are not open to fishing, the oysters growing there do spawn, and the uptick in harvest is attributed to some of the larvae from those oysters being carried by the current to other beds where fishing is allowed.

While there remain questions to be answered, DNR and MDTA are striving to improve communications via various channels. Arentz is driving discussions in Annapolis to ensure area residents will be closer to the sources of information, earlier in the process.