KENT ISLAND, MD. - With the Francis Scott Key Bridge gone, Maryland leaders are confronting a looming traffic crisis that could significantly impact commuters and trucking companies alike.
Approximately 31,000 vehicles that typically travel the Francis Scott Key Bridge daily will now need to take alternate paths, leading to potential gridlock and delays. Trucking companies, in particular, are feeling the pressure, with many scrambling to find detours to avoid disruptions in their supply chains.
Greg Massey, Senior Vice President of Agent Development at Trinity Logistics, expressed apprehension over the logistical challenges posed by the bridge closure. "It's gonna cause out-of-route miles for those drivers, not to mention the congestion. It's gonna cause a delay in goods and certainly, at least on a regional level, it could cause an increase in rates for trucking," Massey stated.
The closure has prompted companies like C W Transport LLC to reconsider their routes. Amanda Helgason, a representative of C W Transport LLC, recounted a close call earlier in the day. "We're again very grateful that none of our own were affected. We have drivers that had just gone over the bridge, within hours before, and would have gone over right after," Helgason remarked.
While the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel presents an alternative for some drivers, restrictions on certain types of vehicles, such as those carrying propane tanks or those exceeding height or width limits, could have to reroute to the Bay Bridge.
Jim Moran, a Queen Anne's County Commissioner, voiced concerns about the potential ramifications of increased traffic. "We are right now at a difficult point already with the traffic, and that's why we are trying to implement these ramp closures to keep traffic moving quickly," Moran explained.
Moran also raised apprehensions regarding the possibility of toll hikes at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and the concern that traffic could persist for years.
As authorities work to manage the fallout from the closure, residents and businesses are bracing for what could be a protracted period of transportation disruptions.
