Underwater Inspection in May Yielded Corrosion Issues; First Phase of Repairs Complete

(June 16, 2016) – Weather permitting, the Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration (SHA) will re-open the MD 157 (Peninsula Expressway) drawbridge over Bear Creek (north of the Baltimore Beltway) in Sparrows Point by mid-day Friday, June 17 following completion of the first phase of emergency repairs to the bridge.  At the same time, the drawbridge will resume normal operations for marine traffic.  

SHA conducted underwater inspections in late May and identified areas of deterioration on the piers supporting the MD 157 Bridge over Bear Creek, prompting SHA to close the bridge to motor vehicle traffic until emergency repairs were complete.  Today, SHA completed the first phase of work on the bridge.  Crews will perform routine maintenance work on the draw span tonight, and boaters may see the draw span raised and lowered several times tonight prior to the bridge re-opening tomorrow.       

After the bridge re-opens to vehicular traffic, SHA contractors will return to the bridge in early August to complete the second phase of repairs.  During repair work in late summer and early fall, there will be temporary lane closures on the bridge, Monday through Friday, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. There will be one lane open in each direction at all times.  There will be no temporary lane closures on the Independence Day or Labor Day holidays. Weather permitting, the repairs will be complete fall 2016.

The bridge was constructed in 1950 and has an average of 1,400 draw span openings each year.

Underwater inspections are performed on the bridge every four years.  Above water inspections take place every two years.