OCEAN CITY — Despite rather ominous social media statements from the State Highway Administration (SHA) and the town of Ocean City, the Route 50 bridge is currently operational under its own power and can open and close on its normal schedule.
Around 1 p.m. on Wednesday, both the SHA and town of Ocean City social media sites posted messages alerting motorists that the Route 50 bridge, which was stuck in the open position for a brief time earlier on Wednesday morning, would be closed to vehicle traffic starting at 1:30 p.m. and would remain closed throughout the afternoon and evening hours.
The SHA statement read “All lanes will close on the U.S. 50 Harry Kelley Memorial Bridge as it will undergo maintenance starting at 1:30 p.m. Travelers are advised to use Md. Route 90 as an alternative route.”
The town of Ocean City immediately shared the SHA post with its own statement reading “Per the State Highway, no vehicle traffic will be permitted on the Route 50 bridge beginning at 1:30 p.m. The drawbridge will remain in the open position until the conclusion of the White Marlin Open this evening. Please plan additional travel time and prepare an alternate route.”
However, The Dispatch has learned those rather ominous messages have been rescinded and the bridge is now fully operational under its own power despite some electrical issues that caused it to be stuck in the open position on Wednesday morning.
SHA officials said the preliminary plan was to crank the drawbridge up by hand to facilitate the boat traffic associated with the White Marlin Open throughout the afternoon and evening hours, but it now appears the bridge is functioning properly and no closures are expected. More information will be provided when it becomes available.
