BALTIMORE, MD—The Maryland Transportation Authority will host a Virtual Listening Meeting, 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, June 27, 2023, for the public to learn more and provide feedback on transit, bicycle, and pedestrian considerations in the study area for the Chesapeake Bay Crossing Study: Tier 2.

The listening session is part of the ongoing review, under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), of ways to provide congestion relief and improve travel reliability, mobility, and safety across the Chesapeake Bay.

The Tier 2 Study is focusing on the 2-mile-wide corridor containing the existing Bay Bridge, also known as Corridor 7. This corridor, which extends for approximately 22 miles from the Severn River bridge to the US 50/US 301 split, was approved in the Tier 1 Study as the Selected Corridor Alternative by the Federal Highway Administration in its Record of Decision.

Modal and operational alternatives, including ferry service, rail, bus and transportation system management/transportation demand management were evaluated as part of Tier 1 and were found to not meet the Tier 1 purpose and need as standalone options. The Tier 2 study will analyze buses, ferries and transportation system and demand management, and how they may be used in conjunction with other alternatives. The June 27 meeting will include presentations on transit and bicycle/pedestrian facilities in the study area, and will poll attendees on their thoughts regarding bike, pedestrian and transit needs.

The Maryland Transportation Authority invites all interested parties to join the Virtual Listening Meeting. Verbal and written comments will be accepted, and the study team will be in attendance to hear public comments. The Maryland Transportation Authority encourages the public to provide comments regarding the Tier 2 Study and transit and bicycle/pedestrian considerations by midnight, July 11, 2023. Those wishing to provide comments may:

• submit an electronic survey/comment form at baycrossingstudy.com,
• email comments to [email protected], or
• print and mail a completed survey/comment form to:
  Bay Crossing Study
  2310 Broening Highway
  Baltimore, MD 21224.

Visit the study website at http://www.baycrossingstudy.com for information on participating in the meeting, to take the transit and bicycle/pedestrian surveys, to learn more about the Tier 2 Study, or to provide a comment on transit and mobility. If you are unable to access the meeting or materials online, or if you require special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or require language translation services (free of charge), please contact the agency’s Title VI Officer at [email protected] or at 410-537-6720.

The Maryland Transportation Authority, in coordination with the Federal Highway Administration, is following a two-tiered NEPA process for the Bay Crossing Study. The Tier 2 Study will build upon the Tier 1 findings to:

• refine the Purpose and Need to focus on Corridor 7;
• evaluate a No Build alternative and a range of build alternatives, including various alignments,
• crossing types and modal and operational alternatives (e.g., transit, etc.);
• evaluate traffic, engineering and environmental impacts;
• provide additional public involvement and comment opportunities;
• identify a Selected Alternative; and
• identify mitigation measures for unavoidable environmental impacts.

In addition to the June 27 listening session, the Maryland Transportation Authority will host open houses in September to update the public on study activities. More details will be available at https://www.baycrossingstudy.com.