Chapter 1 • Introduction
The I-95 ETLs are a separate toll facility on the Kennedy Highway between I-895 and MD 43 in the southbound direction and between I-895 and MD 152 in the northbound direction. The facility, which opened through MD 43 in December 2014, includes two express toll lanes in each direction in between the general purpose lanes on this segment of I-95. The northbound extension to MD 152 opened on December 18, 2024 and the assumed opening date of an additional extension is included in the assumptions in Chapter 4. Figure 1-2 shows the assumed access and tolling points on the I-95 ETL extension. There are three alternative MDTA toll routes that cross the Baltimore Harbor in the center of the region: the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel (I-895), the Francis Scott Key Bridge (I-695), and the Fort McHenry Tunnel (I-95), which are collectively referred to as the Baltimore Harbor crossings. The oldest of the three Baltimore Harbor crossings is the Harbor Tunnel which opened in November 1957. The Key Bridge was built to alleviate congestion and delays at the Harbor Tunnel and was opened in March 1977. The newest of these facilities, the Fort McHenry Tunnel, is an eight-lane crossing that opened in November 1985. In the early hours of March 26 th , 2024, the Key Bridge collapsed due to the collision between a cargo ship and one of the bridge supports. This halted all traffic and severely impacted activity at the Port of Baltimore. Since the collapse, traffic has had to divert to the Fort McHenry Tunnel, Baltimore Harbor Tunnel, or other local roads as the rebuilding of the bridge will take several years to complete. Additional details of this event along with other impacts to the forecast and how they have been considered in the forecast will be discussed further in Chapter 4. The ICC facility is in the northern Washington D.C. metro region and connects I-370 in the Gaithersburg area to I-95 and US 1 near Laurel. The ICC opened in phases. The initial segment between I-370 and MD 97 opened to traffic in February 2011 and began collecting tolls in March 2011. The segment from MD 97 to I-95 opened to traffic in November 2011 and began collecting tolls in December 2011, and the final segment between I-95 and US 1 opened and began collecting tolls in November 2014. The southern region contains two facilities which carry US 301 to diverse destinations. The Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial/Senator Thomas “Mac” Middleton Bridge was originally opened in December 1940, connecting Maryland with Virginia, thereby allowing travelers making regional through-trips to bypass the Washington DC area. A replacement of the bridge opened on October 12, 2022 which widened the bridge from two lanes per direction to four lanes per direction, improved safety with barrier-separated medians, provided a taller 135-foot clearance for ships to pass underneath, and replaced the toll booths with all-electronic tolling technology. The William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial (Bay) Bridge was first opened to traffic in July 1952 and crosses the Chesapeake Bay. Twenty-one years later in June 1973, a parallel span carrying westbound traffic was opened, with the original span carrying eastbound traffic. A Tier 1 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Study, called the Chesapeake Bay Crossing Study, was completed and considers alternatives to address congestion on the Bay Bridge. A Record of Decision (ROD) on the study and Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS) were approved in April 2022 along with the Selected Corridor Alternative. Final project design and construction will follow final agency decisions based on completion of Tier 2 NEPA Study documents. Currently, there is no timetable for construction of a new crossing.
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