Maryland's plan to replace the Chesapeake Bay Bridge is raising concerns among farmers and conservation groups on the state's Eastern Shore.
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plan → replace → Shore
They say the new crossing could increase development pressure on farmland and other open land, and are asking the state to create a dedicated fund to preserve agricultural areas.
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crossing → say → areas
The Maryland Transportation Authority Board voted in December to move ahead with a plan to build two new four-lane spans across the Chesapeake Bay and remove the existing bridges.
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Board → vote → bridges
WBOC reported.
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WBOC → report → ?
The project would also widen Routes 50 and 301 to eight lanes, with four lanes in each direction.
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project → widen → direction
It could also include a shared-use path for cyclists and pedestrians.
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It → include → cyclists
The new spans would have full shoulders and greater clearance underneath, allowing larger ships to pass through.
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ships → have → shoulders
The project is still several years away, with final design expected to begin in 2028 and construction targeted for 2032.
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construction → expect → 2032
As the plans move forward, the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy is working with local governments and conservation groups on a proposal for a land preservation fund linked to the bridge project.
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Conservancy → move → project
Queen Anne's, Caroline and Talbot counties have signed a letter supporting the idea.
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counties → sign → idea
Development pressure on Eastern Shore
An MTA report on the Bay Crossing project found that more than 111,000 acres across the Eastern Shore are vulnerable to growth and development pressure.
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acres → find → pressure
The land includes farms, forests and waterways in Caroline, Queen Anne's and Talbot counties.
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land → include → counties
The three counties together account for about 22% of Maryland's agricultural sales, according to the report.
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counties → account → report
Jay Falstad, executive director of the Queen Anne's Conservation Association, said, "The goal is to try and protect farmland for the future," Falstad said.
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Falstad → say → future
"Queen Anne's County is an agricultural gem, and you would not want to see that disrupted with a sea of subdivision development that would follow in the wake of a new Bay bridge.
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that → want → bridge
Falstad said most of the proposed funding would likely go to Queen Anne's and Caroline counties, which he said are the state's largest grain-producing counties.
“Right now it's a request of the state basically saying that if you're going to spend a few billion dollars on a new Bay bridge, then you ought to be prepared to allocate a few hundred million dollars for land preservation,” Falstad said.
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Falstad → say → preservation
He also said agriculture is Queen Anne's County's top economic sector and that the county has preserved nearly 40% of its farmland.
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county → say → farmland
Falstad remains opposed to the bridge project, saying the state has not adequately justified the need for a new span given the remaining lifespan of the existing bridge.
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state → remain → bridge
Conservation group proposes land fund
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group → propose → fund
Carol Bean, land use and policy manager for the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, said the preservation fund is still only a concept.
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fund → say → Conservancy
No formal agreement is in place, and discussions are continuing with the Maryland Department of Transportation and other state agencies.
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discussions → continue → Transportation
Bean said the group is trying to align its work with the formal record of decision for the bridge project, which she said could come as early as this fall or early winter.
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she → say → fall
"The state has made the decision.
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state → make → decision
They've picked a route.
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They → pick → route
They're moving ahead with it," Bean said.
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Bean → move → it
"So in our perspective, it's how do you do that in the most responsible way that respects the kind of tradition and economy of the Eastern Shore.
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that → do → Shore
And land preservation is a really key way that you can do that.
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you → do → that
It's a way you can protect the investment in the bridge as well."
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you → protect → bridge
Bean said development along the corridor could also affect the bridge's purpose of easing traffic.
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development → say → traffic
"If you don't protect that corridor, you end up with more development, which means more access points," she said.
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she → protect → points
"You can use land preservation as a strategic tool to protect that investment, but also to fundamentally support these key industries of the Eastern Shore, like agriculture."
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You → use → agriculture
Caroline County watches development
Travis Breeding, president of the Caroline County Board of Commissioners, said the county wants to protect its rural character as development pressure grows.
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pressure → watch → character
"The rural heritage of Caroline County is very important to us, and we want to preserve that," Breeding said.
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Breeding → want → that
"The additional expansion of the Bay bridge could increase development here in Caroline County, and we really want to slow that down."
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we → increase → that
Breeding said the proposed fund remains a concept.
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fund → say → ?
The request is for the Maryland Department of Transportation and the Transportation Authority to establish a funding stream to preserve agricultural land in the Mid-Shore region.
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Department → establish → region
Farmers want a say
Stephen Kraszewski, a Queen Anne's County farmer whose family runs Mason Farms Produce on a fifth-generation farm, said farming is closely tied to the region's rural way of life.
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farming → want → life
He said Queen Anne's County has more corn and soybean farmland than any other county in Maryland.
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County → say → Maryland
"It feels like there's a target on our back," Kraszewski said, noting that the bridge route runs through Kent Island and directly through the county on the way to beach destinations including Ocean City, Rehoboth and Lewes.
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route → feel → City
"Those farmers, they want to see their way of life preserved, just not taken over.
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way → want → life
…and 11 more, not listed.
The Aporia
