One of the most important events in the history of Ocean City was the opening of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge on July 30, 1952. The bridge provided quick and easy access from the Baltimore and Washington, DC areas and ended ferry service across the Bay forever. No other event since Ocean City’s founding has done more to boast tourism.
The benefit to the town’s economy was immediate as “no vacancy” signs sprouted everywhere, and shops, arcades, and food stands along the Boardwalk did a brisk business. It is said that Ocean City’s population doubled overnight.
By the late 1960 ‘s, however, weekend traffic backups had become a serious problem and the need for another bridge was obvious. Construction began on a parallel span and was completed in June 1973 at a cost of $148 million.
Today plans are underway to build another bridge across the Chesapeake Bay as traffic continues to increase. The location of that future passageway is currently still under debate.
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Photo by Bunk Mann