Maryland adding lane to Severn River Bridge

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) announced Wednesday that the state will add a fourth eastbound lane over the Severn River Bridge, located near Annapolis on Route 50, to relieve traffic congestion for vehicles heading toward the Eastern Shore.

“This is a serious bottleneck that is a constant headache, and for many Marylanders who live in Annapolis and the Broadneck area, as well as commuters and vacationers who are trying to reach the Eastern Shore, this will provide much-needed relief,” Hogan said.

Transportation officials said construction will begin on the $22.8 million project on Sept. 5 and be completed by May 2018.

More than 126,000 vehicles cross the bridge every day during non-summer weekdays, and the number swells to more than 145,000 on Fridays during summer travel months.

The extra lane will come from shifting the existing median barrier and re-striping the pavement to create four lanes in the eastbound direction and three for westbound traffic.