Plans to replace the Chesapeake Bay Bridge are raising concerns among farmers and conservation groups on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, who say the project could accelerate development on land that should be preserved for future farming. The Maryland Transportation Authority Board voted in December to move forward with a plan to build two new four-lane spans across the bay and remove the existing bridges. The project also includes widening Route 50 and 301 to eight lanes, four in each direction, and could add a shared-use path for bicyclists and pedestrians. The new spans would include full shoulders and increased clearance for larger ships to pass underneath.  The project remains years away. Final design is expected to begin in 2028, with construction targeted for 2032, but the scope of the plan has prompted the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy to organize local governments and conservation groups around a new idea: a dedicated land preservation fund tied to the bridge project. Queen Anne’s, Caroline and Talbot counties have signed onto a letter backing the concept.  The plan is to establish a funding stream to help preserve agricultural land in the Mid-Shore region, and also support the bridge projects goals. 

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is reviewing a request for a new speed zone on Tar Creek in Talbot County. The proposal calls for a 6 knot limit during boating season in a small inlet off the creek.  The area in question sits along the Tred Avon River. It is a small cove that measures less than 300 yards wide at its mouth.  The new limit would only apply during boating season. That season runs from 12:01 a.m. on April 15 through midnight on October 15 each year.  If the new speed zone is approved, the Department expects it could take effect as early as spring 2027. Officials say an exact date has not been set.