Quarterly Review of FY 2025 Capital Budget vs. Actual Spending Page Two related and Transportation Systems Management (TSM)/Transportation Demand Management (TDM) improvements, and further consideration of a shared use path option. The MDTA respectfully requests your approval of this alternative so the proposed February 2026 Public Hearings for the Chesapeake Bay Crossing Study: Tier 2 NEPA (Tier 2 Study) may proceed. Holding these hearings in February 2026 is essential to meet the federally required two-year NEPA schedule. It is anticipated that the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will identify their selected alternative in their Record of Decision (ROD) in November 2026. ANALYSIS MDTA’s RPA, Alternative C, provides two new four-lane bridge spans with shoulders across the Chesapeake Bay. It removes the existing Bay Bridge spans, thereby addressing existing roadway deficiencies, supporting future maintenance needs, and providing higher navigational clearance consistent with the new Key Bridge and recent recommendations by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Alternative C also has the lowest cost and the least environmental impacts compared to the other build alternatives. The alternatives studied by MDTA include the No-Build and six build alternatives. All of the build alternatives include removal of the existing spans, transit-related and Transportation Systems Management (TSM)/Transportation Demand Management (TDM) improvements, and consideration of a shared use path option. Summaries of the alternatives are included below. Alternative A (No-Build): Retains the existing six lanes along U.S. 50/301 on the Western Shore, five lanes across the existing Chesapeake Bay Bridge, and existing six lanes along U.S. 50/301 on the Eastern Shore. Alternative B: Maintains the six existing lanes along U.S. 50/301 on the Western Shore, increases capacity to eight lanes across the Bay, and maintains the six existing lanes on the Eastern Shore. Alternative B includes a northern bridge location, with one span located just north of the existing spans and one span between the existing spans. Alternative C (MDTA-RPA): The MDTA RPA maintains the six existing lanes along U.S. 50/301 on the Western Shore, increases capacity to eight lanes across the Bay, and maintains the six existing lanes on the Eastern Shore. Alternative C includes a southern bridge location, with one span located just south of the existing spans and one span between the existing spans. Alternative D: Increases U.S. 50/301 capacity on the Western Shore to eight lanes, increases capacity to eight lanes across the Bay, and increases capacity on the Eastern Shore to eight lanes. Alternative D includes a northern bridge location, with one span located just north of the existing spans and one span between the existing spans. Alternative E: Increases U.S. 50/301 capacity on the Western Shore to eight lanes, increases capacity to eight lanes across the Bay, and increases capacity on the Eastern Shore to eight lanes. Alternative E includes a southern bridge location, with one span located just south of the existing spans and one span between the existing spans.
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