Highlights

The Bay Bridge carries travelers on Route 50 and Route 301 between the Chesapeake Bay's eastern and western shores. The idea of a bridge to traverse the Chesapeake Bay had long been discussed, but not until 1938 was state funding appropriated to the project. Ground finally broke in January 1949, and the original two-lane span of the 4.3-mile William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial Bridge opened to traffic in 1952. It replaced a ferry service that would carry cars across the bay. At the time, it was the world's longest continuous over-water steel structure. As the need for efficient road travel and traffic grew, the original span was repurposed to carry eastbound traffic, and construction on a seco...
The Bay Bridge carries travelers on Route 50 and Route 301 between the Chesapeake Bay's eastern and western shores. The idea of a bridge to traverse the Chesapeake Bay had long been discussed, but not until 1938 was state funding appropriated to the project. Ground finally broke in January 1949, and the original two-lane span of the 4.3-mile William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial Bridge opened to traffic in 1952. It replaced a ferry service that would carry cars across the bay. At the time, it was the world's longest continuous over-water steel structure. As the need for efficient road travel and traffic grew, the original span was repurposed to carry eastbound traffic, and construction on a second span carrying westbound traffic over the bay began in 1969 and was completed in 1973. The Maryland Transportation Authority, which maintains the bridge, is in the midst of a preservation and reconstruction project that includes resurfacing a portion of the westbound roadway. That work has forced the cancelation of the annual Bay Bridge Walk until 2009, when work is expected to be completed.
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Flooding, rain from nor'easter soaks Hampton Roads
WTKR-TV3The remnants of Ida are interacting with a cold front to bring Hampton Roads heavy rains. Eventually, Ida's energy will fuel a new storm off the Carolina coast. An additional three to five inches of rain is possible through tomorrow. Winds today could...Tags: Hampton Roads, Norfolk (Norfolk, Virginia), Emergency Planning
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George A. Strauss Jr.
George Albert Strauss Jr., a retired underground utility, bridge and marine contractor who rose from a construction laborer to contracting company executive, died of congestive heart failure Saturday at Northwest Hospital Center. He was 89.
Born in...Tags: Values, Deere and Company, Ethics, Randallstown, Engineering
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Authorities Name Trucker Killed In Bay Bridge Crash
The Associated PressAuthorities have released the name of the trucker who was killed when his big rig plunged off the side of a new section of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. The San Francisco medical examiner says Tahir Sheikh Fakhar died in the crash early Monday...Tags: Car Safety Tips and Advice, San Francisco, Transportation Accidents
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Trucker dies when big rig tumbles from accident-plagued stretch of San Francisco bridge
Associated Press WriterSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — An accident-plagued stretch of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge saw its first fatality Monday when the driver of a speeding big rig lost control and the truck plummeted 200 feet from the span, authorities said. The truck...Tags: Heavy Engineering, Transportation, Road Transportation, San Francisco, Transportation Accidents
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Trucker killed when big-rig plummets off San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A trucker is dead after his big rig plummeted 200 feet off the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge early Monday and smashed onto an island below. California Highway Patrol Sgt. Trent Cross says the driver of a rig hauling...Tags: Heavy Engineering, San Francisco
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Semi Truck Plunges Off Bay Bridge, Driver Killed
KTLA NewsSAN FRANCISCO -- A trucker died Monday after his big-rig plummeted 200 feet from a new section of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge that has seen more than 42 crashes since it opened, authorities said. The rig hauling pears was traveling at high speed...Tags: KTLA
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More Black Friday announcements
baltimoresun.comMore retailers and malls are starting to unleash their Black Friday plans and other holiday bargains. Prime Outlets Queenstown, the outlet center just over the Bay Bridge, announced it will open at midnight on Black Friday like it did last year. It will... -
A driving tour of Maryland's byways offers beauty, history and more
The fall colors may have peaked, with more leaves clinging to turf than trees, but it's still not too late for an autumn auto tour. Last month, the Federal Highway Administration designated four Maryland routes as America's Byways, placing them among the...Tags: Colleges and Universities, Johns Hopkins University, Natural Resources, Harriet Tubman, Interreligious Dialogue
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Driver Dies After Truck Falls Off Bay Bridge
The Associated PressAn accident-plagued stretch of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge saw its first fatality Monday when the driver of a speeding big rig lost control and the truck plummeted 200 feet from the span, authorities said. The truck hauling a full load of...Tags: Transportation, Heavy Engineering, Road Transportation, San Francisco
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Taking the scenic route
michelle.deal@baltsun.comThe fall colors may have peaked, with more leaves clinging to turf than trees, but it's still not too late for an autumn auto tour. Last month, the Federal Highway Administration designated four Maryland routes as America's Byways, placing them among...Tags: Colleges and Universities, Johns Hopkins University, Natural Resources, Harriet Tubman, Interreligious Dialogue
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The Saints and the Ain'ts
Sentinel Staff WriterThe league that for so long has prided itself on parity is experiencing a wicked run of disparity. And, in some extreme cases, outright parody. Anyone who watched last week's slate of NFL slaughters saw the league's worst single day of blowouts since...Tags: Super Bowl, New England Patriots, Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers
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Still Unknown if Bay Bridge Will Open for Monday Commute
There's still no word yet when the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge will be open to traffic again. California Department of Transportation spokesman Bart Ney said during a briefing Sunday morning that crews were still conducting stress tests and...
Tags: Metal and Mineral, San Francisco, Labor Day
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