Chesapeake Bay Bridge, Dual suspension bridge over Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, United States
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge is a twin steel structure measuring 6.9 kilometers (4.3 miles) that spans the waters between Anne Arundel County and Queen Anne's County, connecting both shores of the bay. Both structures rise above the flat expanse of water on tall support piers that emerge from the surface.
The first span opened in 1952 and provided a road crossing over the bay for the first time. A second parallel span opened in 1973 to handle increasing traffic between both shores.
The official name William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial Bridge commemorates the Maryland governor who initiated the construction project in the late 1940s.
The roadway remains open at all times and carries vehicles between the western suburbs of the capital and the towns along the eastern shore. Strong wind can sometimes lead to slower conditions, especially for tall vehicles.
The bridge is often cited as one of the world's scariest crossings because of its height, narrow spans, lack of hard shoulders, low guardrails and frequent high winds. It has been closed four times by high winds, including during Hurricane Isabel in 2003 and Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
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