Chesapeake Bay Bridge

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge (commonly known as the Bay Bridge) is a major dual span bridge in the State of Maryland ,USA

Spanning the Chesapeake Bay, it connects the state's rural Eastern Shore Region with the more urban Western Shore

The original span opened in 1952 and, at the time, with a length of 4.3 miles (6.9 km), it was the world's longest continuous over-water steel structure

The parallel span was added in 1973

Officially, the bridge is named the William Preston Lane, Jr. Memorial Bridge after he as Governor of Maryland initiated its construction

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge, pictured, is 5 miles long and stands 186 feet tall at its highest point

The bridge has been closed 4 times due to extreme weather

• On Sep 18,2003 the bridge was closed during Hurricane and its high winds
• On Aug 27, 2011, the bridge was closed to all traffic due to the impacts of Hurricane Irene
• On Oct 29, 2012, the bridge was closed due to Hurricane Sandy
• On March 6, 2013 the bridge was closed during the March 2013 nor'easter,highwinds