The center lane closure on the westbound span of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in Maryland will be extended for an hour and 15 minutes on Thursday.
Center westbound lane closures on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. started on Tuesday, as part of the improvement plan for the bridge. On Thursday, the closure will last from 11 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
The Maryland Transportation Authority announced Wednesday that the extension is needed because crews need to take advantage of good temperatures on Thursday, and the necessary work needed to be completed in this zone takes longer.
The transportation authority said backups could reach three miles, and crossing the bridge could take an extra 25 to 30 minutes. Drivers should plan for extra travel time.
Wide loads — vehicles greater than 10 feet wide — will be restricted from crossing westbound during that same time frame daily, the Maryland Department of Transportation said.
The center westbound lane closure and the department of transportation’s plan to continue work day and night, seven days a week, are part of an effort to speed up the project.
Crews are replacing the Bay Bridge’s deck surface in the right lane of the westbound span. The $27 million project will replace the road surface, make other repairs and replace the current lane-use signals.
Learn more about the Bay Bridge project on the Maryland Transportation Authority website.
WTOP’s Kyle Cooper contributed to this report.
