The Bay Bridge runs 4.3 miles from Sandy Point, on the Western Shore, to Stevensville, on the Eastern Shore. The older span of the bridge opened in 1952. Looking at the picture it’s the one with the diamond shape pattern on the towers. The second span of the bridge opened in 1973.
The official name of the bridge is the William Preston Lane, Jr. Memorial Bridge. As you can imagine, Mr. Lane was Governor when the bridge opened.
Prior to the bridge opening, boats were the only way to get from one shore to the other, without having to go all around through Delaware. Traffic patterns can be a bit scary on this toll bridge, since they move lanes around to accommodate congestion in one direction. I’ve been on one span when there is traffic coming at you from the other direction, and it’s scary being that close without any barriers in between the lanes.
At it’s highest point, the bridge is 186 feet above the Chesapeake Bay below.
Bay Bridge - April 2011
