Raising Sunshine Skyway Bridge... Could Baltimore be watching

[bmore cruiser]

after reading the article below I was wondering if this is something that the city of Baltimore and the state of Maryland would be paying attention too? Considering that there have been rumors of using the old Sparrows Point steel mill location as a cruise terminal and the possibility of building a new bay bridge. Putting the cruise terminal in Sparrows Point would mean that the ships would just have to get under the Bay Bridge. What's your thoughts?

 

http://www.bradenton.com/2013/12/05/4870132/raising-sunshine-skyway-bridge.html

[Eng23]

after reading the article below I was wondering if this is something that the city of Baltimore and the state of Maryland would be paying attention too? Considering that there have been rumors of using the old Sparrows Point steel mill location as a cruise terminal and the possibility of building a new bay bridge. Putting the cruise terminal in Sparrows Point would mean that the ships would just have to get under the Bay Bridge. What's your thoughts?

 

http://www.bradenton.com/2013/12/05/4870132/raising-sunshine-skyway-bridge.html

I have heard those same rumors about Sparrows Point or even a location south of the Bay Bridge also.

[madelinerose]

Raising the scariest bridge in the country? :eek: South of the Bay Bridge would be perfect. ;)

Edited January 13, 2014 by madelinerose

[dolittle]

Ships don't go under the bay bridge they go over it.

[Carnival_Brides]

Raising the scariest bridge in the country? :eek: South of the Bay Bridge would be perfect. ;)

 

I believe that's called Norfolk:D

 

 

Ships don't go under the bay bridge they go over it.

I think they're referring to the Route 50 Bridge outside Annapolis--not the Bay Bridge and Tunnel.

[BigDoug]

There is only one foot difference in the clearance between the FSK Bridge and the Chesapeake Bay Bridges: Key Bridge 185', Bay Bridges 186'. So, the only way to avoid this height restriction is to build a cruise terminal south of the Bay Bridges. Not likely to happen.

[bmore cruiser]

There is only one foot difference in the clearance between the FSK Bridge and the Chesapeake Bay Bridges: Key Bridge 185', Bay Bridges 186'. So, the only way to avoid this height restriction is to build a cruise terminal south of the Bay Bridges. Not likely to happen.

 

I am aware of the bridge heights... that's why I said that I wonder if Baltimore would be watching. Raising two bridges(Bay Bridge) is cheaper then raising three (Key Bridge). Plus Maryland is already doing a study on the bay bridge because of the possibility of adding a bridge or replacing it. There has also been rumors and renderings made up for turning Sparrows Point into a cruise terminal.

[Eng23]

Ships don't go under the bay bridge they go over it.

 

Ships go over the Chesapeake Bay-Bridge Tunnel at the entrance to the bay. Ships go under the Chesapeake Bay Bridge (Hwy. 50) that crosses the bay from Maryland's Eastern Shore to mainland Maryland.

[bus man]

Raising the present Bay Bridge would be a colossal waste of money, given that it really ought to just be replaced. The bridge is currently considered to be "functionally obsolete" -- which means that its design is not suitable for its current use. Its traffic volume exceeds its design capacity, and its grades are steeper than optimum.

 

It would be far better to replace both spans with one new, higher bridge, with longer but more gentle grades on each side. Personally, I'd like to see a 7-lane bridge, with 3 lanes in each direction and the middle one being reversible, and with movable barriers to separate the directions of traffic. However, given that U.S. 50 is 6 lanes on either side of the bridge, either the road would need to be widened, or simply build a 6-lane bridge and not worry about reversible lanes.

 

(I'd also like to see them build a new bridge farther south, between Calvert and Dorchester counties, to relieve some of the traffic on the Bay Bridge. Of course, this new bridge would need to be high enough to ensure that the big cruise ships could get under it, too.)

 

If the Bay Bridge is not replaced (or raised), I don't see any long-term future for Baltimore as a cruise port. The trend is clearly to build larger ships, and there will come a time when the mainstream lines won't have any ships that can fit under the bridge. (The Key Bridge issue is easily sidestepped by moving the port to Sparrows Point.) Perhaps a cruise terminal could be built south of the bridge, near Annapolis.

[bus man]

Raising the scariest bridge in the country? :eek: South of the Bay Bridge would be perfect. ;)

 

I've been on lots of big bridges (I love 'em) and I agree that the Bay Bridge is more hair-raising than most. IMHO, it's not the height, per se, that's the problem. Rather, it's the substandard design: the narrow lanes (at least they feel narrow; I'm not sure if they're the standard 12-feet in width), the total lack of shoulders or even a few feet of "swerve room" on either side, the steep grade, the curve near the western shore, and (on the westbound span) the flimsy-looking guardrails. Add to that the joys of two-way operation, when you're ascending the westbound span and realize that there's nothing but a couple feet of air between you and that truck picking up speed on what is for him a downgrade. In road-geek lingo, the Bay Bridge is very "unforgiving"; there's little to no margin for error when driving across it.

 

Have you ever driven across the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in the Tampa area? It's the exact same height as our Bay Bridge, but they feel nothing alike. Maryland's engineers could learn a lot from whoever designed that one.

[MedicKen]

bus man. Even go across the Soloman Island Bridge. THAT can be a bit scary, but it is a great ride.

 

You want to go across bridges? Come to Pittsburgh the only city in the world with more bridges is Venice Italy.

 

BTW we have a Niece that lives in Ridge and works in Lex Park.

[bus man]

bus man. Even go across the Soloman Island Bridge. THAT can be a bit scary, but it is a great ride.

 

You want to go across bridges? Come to Pittsburgh the only city in the world with more bridges is Venice Italy.

 

BTW we have a Niece that lives in Ridge and works in Lex Park.

 

The Solomons Bridge gives even me the willies! I know that a lot of people are afraid of the Bay Bridge (I'm not one of them), but really, the Solomons one is a lot worse. I'm willing to cross it if I have to, and I must admit, the view from the top is impressive; but I'm just as happy to get back down to the other side.

 

Given that we have the Chesapeake Bay and several decent-sized rivers, Maryland ought to be a showcase for bridges. But alas, it seems like the ones we've got were all designed by committee to satisfy a bunch of bean-counting bureaucrats, who then farmed out the engineering to the lowest bidder. Thus, our bridges are unimaginative, poorly designed, and built to meet only the bare minimum of safe-driving standards. It's sad, really.

 

I've only driven through Pittsburgh once, and I crossed only the Veterans and Liberty bridges. I'd like to go back and check out a whole bunch more.

 

I live about 100 miles from Ridge, but I've actually been there. As you know, it's a little place, and I would bet that you and I are among the few people who live north of Lexington Park who have even heard of it!

 

Oh well, as I moan about my state's substandard bridges, I guess I can console myself that, hey, at least we have a cruise port -- for now. :D

[Carnival_Brides]

I had to drive across the Solomon's Island bridge when I was 17 and it was a wee bit terrifying and I'd already driven across the Tappan Zee, Jamestown Verrazzano, the Bay (Rte. 50), and all of the bridges that go over the C&D Canal. Eeek.

Edited January 18, 2014 by Carnival_Brides

[Eng23]

Raising the present Bay Bridge would be a colossal waste of money, given that it really ought to just be replaced. The bridge is currently considered to be "functionally obsolete" -- which means that its design is not suitable for its current use. Its traffic volume exceeds its design capacity, and its grades are steeper than optimum.

 

It would be far better to replace both spans with one new, higher bridge, with longer but more gentle grades on each side. Personally, I'd like to see a 7-lane bridge, with 3 lanes in each direction and the middle one being reversible, and with movable barriers to separate the directions of traffic. However, given that U.S. 50 is 6 lanes on either side of the bridge, either the road would need to be widened, or simply build a 6-lane bridge and not worry about reversible lanes.

 

(I'd also like to see them build a new bridge farther south, between Calvert and Dorchester counties, to relieve some of the traffic on the Bay Bridge. Of course, this new bridge would need to be high enough to ensure that the big cruise ships could get under it, too.)

 

If the Bay Bridge is not replaced (or raised), I don't see any long-term future for Baltimore as a cruise port. The trend is clearly to build larger ships, and there will come a time when the mainstream lines won't have any ships that can fit under the bridge. (The Key Bridge issue is easily sidestepped by moving the port to Sparrows Point.) Perhaps a cruise terminal could be built south of the bridge, near Annapolis.

 

I have driven across the Bay Bridge (Hwy. 50) a few times myself. It was interesting noting the differences just between the two spans. One thing no one has mentioned yet, why not build a bridge tunnel like the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel down here in Virginia. I know that a bridge tunnel complex would be the more expensive option but it would allow unlimited access for ships of all sizes transitting to Baltimore. Trade off bridge height for ship clearance with a tunnel that way there would be a resonable height bridge roadway that goes into a tunnel or sets of tunnels under the bay.

[Carnival_Brides]

I have driven across the Bay Bridge (Hwy. 50) a few times myself. It was interesting noting the differences just between the two spans. One thing no one has mentioned yet, why not build a bridge tunnel like the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel down here in Virginia. I know that a bridge tunnel complex would be the more expensive option but it would allow unlimited access for ships of all sizes transitting to Baltimore. Trade off bridge height for ship clearance with a tunnel that way there would be a resonable height bridge roadway that goes into a tunnel or sets of tunnels under the bay.

 

Because our engineers here in the Old Line State lack imagination and prefer building cost conscious (inexpensive) bridges that become functionally obsolete within 50 years.

 

FWIW-- 20% of our state's bridges are considered functionally obsolete in that they're safe, but they have "older design features and can't safely accommodate current traffic loads and vehicle sizes and weights". I'm honestly not sure how they can be considered safe and unable to safely accommodate traffic and weight, but I'm not an engineer either.

Edited January 18, 2014 by Carnival_Brides

[madelinerose]

I've been on lots of big bridges (I love 'em) and I agree that the Bay Bridge is more hair-raising than most. IMHO, it's not the height, per se, that's the problem. Rather, it's the substandard design: the narrow lanes (at least they feel narrow; I'm not sure if they're the standard 12-feet in width), the total lack of shoulders or even a few feet of "swerve room" on either side, the steep grade, the curve near the western shore, and (on the westbound span) the flimsy-looking guardrails. Add to that the joys of two-way operation, when you're ascending the westbound span and realize that there's nothing but a couple feet of air between you and that truck picking up speed on what is for him a downgrade. In road-geek lingo, the Bay Bridge is very "unforgiving"; there's little to no margin for error when driving across it.

 

Have you ever driven across the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in the Tampa area? It's the exact same height as our Bay Bridge, but they feel nothing alike. Maryland's engineers could learn a lot from whoever designed that one.

 

I couldn't agree more. There's no margin for error. I did read something a few months ago, can't recall where, that deemed the Bay Bridge the scariest one in the US.

 

Haven't been on the Tampa bridge. ;)

Edited January 18, 2014 by madelinerose