Bay Crossing Study: Public Comment Period and Upcoming Hearings
The State has opened a 45-day public comment period following the release of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Bay Crossing Study and the Maryland Transportation Authority’s recommendation of Alternative C as the preferred alternative. This represents a significant moment in a process that will shape the Eastern Shore for generations, and it is essential that residents, local officials, and community organizations engage fully with the material now available.
The Draft EIS evaluates the environmental and community impacts of the remaining alternatives and provides the first detailed look at the recommended scenario, which would involve constructing two new, four lane spans within the existing crossing corridor, removing the current spans in phases, and widening the Route 50 and 301 corridor to eight lanes from west of Oceanic Drive to east of Cox Creek.
We believe that the State should pair any major transportation investment with a meaningful commitment to land conservation, rural character protection, zoning and comprehensive planning support for counties, and stronger tools that guide growth to towns with existing infrastructure. Without such measures, the region risks repeating the very patterns that have eroded farmland, natural resources, and community identity over the past seventy years.
MDTA and the Federal Highway Administration will host two in-person public hearings in February,
- February 10 in Anne Arundel County
- February 12 at Kent Island High School
Each hearing includes an open house beginning at five o’clock, where attendees can view displays and speak with agency staff, and live testimony beginning at six o’clock. The Draft EIS is available online and at designated viewing locations, and comments may be submitted through March 9 by mail, email, phone, or testimony during the hearings. After the close of the comment period, MDTA and FHWA will continue their analysis, with a combined Final EIS and Record of Decision expected in the fall of 2026.
ESLC will attend the Kent Island hearing on February 12 and will submit testimony emphasizing how the existing Bay Bridge spans reshaped the Eastern Shore in profound ways. A new crossing, if ultimately approved and constructed, would be the largest infrastructure project in Maryland’s history, and it must therefore come with the funding, policy tools, and technical assistance needed to help Eastern Shore communities prepare for the pressures that added capacity will inevitably bring.
ESLC will continue to monitor the Bay Crossing Study closely, share information throughout the public process, and advocate for an outcome that serves both regional mobility and the long-term health of the Eastern Shore’s landscapes and communities.
Additional details and links to participate in the comment process may be found at www.baycrossingstudy.com.