March 2001 		Chesapeake Bay Bridge
(Governor William Preston Lane, Jr. Memorial Bridge)

Fast Facts

Click on any picture on this page to see a larger version.
This is the way the Chesapeake Bay Bridge looked in the 1950s, just after it was built. There was only one bridge at that time. This is the way the Chesapeake Bay Bridge looks today. The traffic increased so much that a second bridge had to be built next to the first one.

Traffic Capacity (both spans) : 1,500 vehicles per lane, per hour

Estimated Traffic

1952: 1.1 million vehicles each year
1961: 1.5 million vehicles each year
1996: 20.5 million vehicles each year

Construction Start Dates
Eastbound span: November 1949
Westbound span: May 1969

Opening Dates
Eastbound span:July 30, 1952
Westbound span: June 28, 1973

Cost
Eastbound span: $45 million
Westbound span: $148 million

Location : Two-span bridge between Sandy Point and Stevensville, Maryland

Overall Lengths :

Shore to shore including causeway: 4.35 miles (eastbound); 4.33 miles (westbound)
Bridge structure: 4.03 miles (eastbound); 3.99 miles (westbound)

There is no larger image of this picture.

Vertical clearance : 186'

HEIGHT of suspension bridge towers :

Eastbound span: 354'
Westbound span: 379'
Have you thought about taking part in the Bridge Walk?
Photo by Scott M. Kozel
Check his site for LOTS of information about the bridge.


Thanks to the Maryland Transportation Authority for the information and the middle 2 photos used on this page. The first photo is courtesy of the State of Maryland, State photographer.
© Copyright January 6, 1998, Office of the Secretary of State.
Last Modified September 16, 2003. bv