Eastern Shore Residents Overwhelmingly Support
Land Conservation Funding with New Bay Bridge
New poll from Eastern Shore Land Conservancy shows high levels of support for a new Bay Bridge and for the establishment of dedicated funding to protect farmland, open space
A new poll commissioned by Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) shows 63% of likely voters across the Midshore support the construction of a new Chesapeake Bay Bridge, with 72% of those citing improved traffic flow and reduced delays as the primary reason for their support. But an even stronger majority of respondents, 95%, believe prioritizing farmland and open space protection as part of the new Bay Bridge is important.
ESLC has worked for months with conservation partners, county governments, and state agency officials to ensure any effort to build a new Bay Bridge includes dedicated funding for land conservation; the new poll reveals that 85% of the residents in the most-impacted counties support the creation of just such a fund.
“For people who live on the Eastern Shore, the Bay Bridge isn’t just a route to vacation or a weekend escape; it is how many people get to work, to school, to their doctor’s visits. So, a safe bridge with more predictable travel times is important. This poll illustrates the conservation of Eastern Shore farmland and open space is also vital to keep in mind as we discuss a new bridge,” said Steve Kline, Eastern Shore Land Conservancy President and CEO.
Kline continued, “A new bridge would provide safe shoulders to get disabled vehicles off the travel lanes and would end the two-way traffic on the westbound bridge that many motorists find troubling. But like the bridges before it, a new bridge could also inaugurate a new era of sprawl development along Routes 50, 301, and 404, extending deep into the Eastern Shore heartland. If we want to keep what we love about the Shore, a new Bay Bridge must include meaningful investment in land conservation.”
“We are seeing a substantial increase in large infrastructure plans and projects on the Eastern Shore, like roads, solar installations, transmission lines, and data centers; this poll shows Eastern Shore residents expect those proposed projects to start paying to offset enormous land use impacts that come with construction,” said Carol Bean, ESLC Land Use and Policy Manager. “The new Bay Bridge will literally pave the way for further infrastructure. Now is the time to commit to a meaningful investment in conservation that is commensurate with the impact and scale of the bridge expansion.
“We believe the best way to protect that bridge’s long-term investment in traffic reduction is through planned conservation,” commented Owen Bailey, ESLC Director of Land Use and Policy. “As hopeful as residents are that the new bridge will improve quality of life on the Shore, 40% of residents are also worried it will increase traffic on local roads. Conservation of specific land along key corridors would help steer local traffic, direct growth to town centers, and prevent sprawl development. Proper planning has never been more crucial.”
The construction of a new Bay Bridge is referred to by MDTA officials as the “largest infrastructure project in Maryland’s history.” But travel across a new Bay Bridge is still far in the future, likely a decade or more away, and no funding has been committed for construction. Still, as decision makers continue to work through the process of review, design, and construction, ESLC advocates for land conservation to remain a priority for wildlife, for climate resilience, for the natural resources our economy depends upon, and for the quality of life for everyone across the Eastern Shore. For updates on the new Bay Bridge and how it will impact the Eastern Shore, anyone can subscribe to ESLC’s free biweekly newsletter or follow Eastern Shore Land Conservancy on Facebook and Instagram.
The scientific poll was sponsored by the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy and conducted by Susquehanna Polling and Research, with interviews of 1,250 likely voters from Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot County between September 7-20, 2026. The margin of error is +/- 2.77% at the 95% confidence level. A complete report of poll results can be found on the ESLC website: https://www.eslc.org/resources/.