KENT ISLAND, Md. - An initiative aimed at easing traffic congestion near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in Queen Anne’s County is returning this summer.
The Ramp Management Project, designed to keep traffic moving along westbound U.S. Route 50, will once again limit access to certain exit ramps. The goal is to discourage drivers from using local roads as shortcuts and instead keep them on Route 50 as they head toward the bridge.
The Maryland Department of Transportation says the effort is intended to benefit both beachgoers heading home and Kent Island residents by keeping them on Route 50.
Traditionally, westbound drivers stuck in traffic have used exit ramps such as Duke Street and Route 8 to bypass congestion by cutting through local roads before rejoining Route 50 near the bridge. Under the ramp management plan, those exits will be restricted during peak hours. Drivers who take the exits will be redirected back to Castle Marina Road.
Queen Anne’s County Commissioner Chris Corchiarino said last year’s pilot program proved successful.
“What we have found through the study is that by having the exits closed when the cars are getting to the bridge, they're going at a much faster clip. So we're getting people through Kent Island a lot quicker, and then the locals are able to get around and get to the stores they want to,” said Corchiarino.
The pilot program's study showed a 55% decrease in drivers using back roads. Weekend travel time between the Queenstown Outlets and the Bay Bridge dropped from 52 minutes in 2023 to 43 minutes in 2024.
Still, some residents remain divided over the program’s effectiveness.
“Last year with the closures, there was nobody there. We could come and go freely from our neighborhood and our house, and our children's schools right up there,” said Ashton Engler, a Kent Island resident.
Her husband, Brian Engler, added, “I think it went very well. I noticed a significant decrease in the traffic around here. There was still a lot of buildup. People were coming on from exits before they got closed, but it was significantly better.”
Others disagreed.
“Well, it just inconveniences everybody here. It's not really doing anything, I didn't think,” said Larry Cave, another Kent Island resident.
County and state highway officials will continue collecting data throughout the summer to evaluate what works and what doesn’t.
The program is scheduled to begin May 18 and will continue through Labor Day. It will run Fridays through Sundays and on holidays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.