MARYLAND – Big changes could be coming to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.

What we know:

After years of planning, the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) Board will vote Thursday on a replacement for the current Bay Bridge.

On Tuesday, the Board’s staff publicly released their recommendation: what’s called “Alternative C,” which they said includes:

• “Two new four-lane bridge spans with full shoulders across the Chesapeake Bay, enhancing safety while providing additional transportation capacity, reliability and mobility.”
• “Removal of the existing Bay Bridge spans, addressing existing roadway deficiencies including narrow lanes and lack of shoulders, eliminating the need for major rehabilitation projects and associated lane closures and delays, and increasing navigational clearance to meet U.S. Coast Guard requirements. The navigational clearance will match that of the new Key Bridge, allowing larger ships to access the Port of Baltimore.”
• “Widening of US 50/301 to eight lanes (four per direction) from west of Oceanic Drive to east of Cox Creek to accommodate transitions to the new crossing.”
• “Financial commitments for transit-related improvements.”
• “An optional bicycle and pedestrian shared-use path, which the MDTA will further evaluate to determine if it should be included.”

Officials estimated that the total cost of the project would be between $14.8 and $17.6 billion, depending on whether the shared-use path is ultimately included. Although, they cautioned that those figures are very preliminary.

What they’re saying:

“The bridges are aging,” said Maryland Transportation Authority Director of Planning and Program Development Melissa Williams. “Just like your older car, you put more and more money in as the year’s go on, and sometimes you get to the point where it just makes more sense to replace than to put money in.”

Most drivers who spoke with FOX 5 Wednesday evening were intrigued by the plan.

“We already have so much traffic as it is, especially on Fridays, the weekends,” said Jason Ramos. “It’s just insane.”

Still, Williams said the bridge replacement plan wouldn’t alleviate traffic altogether.

“Building this bridge will be a huge step in helping address traffic in the corridor,” she explained. “Will it completely eliminate it? I wish I could say yes, but the answer is no.”

What’s next:

There is a lot more to come before plans for a new bridge are finalized.

Thursday’s MDTA vote would give way to public hearings, scheduled for early next year. Then, federal officials would still have to give their final approval, which would likely take place in late 2026.

Officials said the earliest construction would begin is likely in the Summer of 2032.