The old Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial/Senator Thomas "Mac" Middleton Bridge, completed in 1940, is on the right. [26], House majority leader Steny Hoyner, along with Maryland senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, objected to plans to demolish the old bridge following the new one's completion, suggesting an independent study be conducted to explore the possibility that the old bridge itself could be used for recreational and bike traffic, but Transportation Secretary Jim Ports countered by contending that financial and logistical challenges were too great to keep the old bridge in place. The new bridge will allow bicyclists to share a lane with vehicles but will not allow pedestrian access. The Nice/Middleton Bridge discount plan cycle begins when first used and ends after 45 days or when all trips are used, whichever comes first. Transponder must be properly mounted in the vehicle. File. Let's drive across the *very scary* Governor Harry Nice Bridge in Southern Maryland! On Tuesday, however, just hours before an emergency court hearing, the authority announced that the new bridge will open on Wednesday. A $6.00 toll is collected electronically from southbound passenger vehicles (lower . Originally called the Potomac River Bridge, it was renamed in April 1968. The existing two-lane bridge spans 1.7 miles and connects Newburg, in Charles County, with Dahlgren, Virginia. To achieve those goals, the federal agency must work with states that sometimes have other priorities and typically have the final say. Located in Maryland, the Harry W Nice Memorial Bridge is a major bridge facility. NEWBURG, Md. Not far from the toll road is the town of Culver, sometimes called Cape Cod Midwest. locations. I think its reasonable that with new people, you would have different questions, Ports said. Usually the Office of the Attorney General represents state agencies. Fast, informative and written just for locals. The project is being coordinated with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), and is proceeding in conjunction with the Maryland State Highway Administration's U.S. Route 301 South Corridor Transportation Study[19] February 2023 (268) January 2023 (291) December 2022 (290) November 2022 (202) October 2022 . Toll roads in Illinois total 294 miles. Ports said in the interview that Maryland officials ultimately were able to satisfy federal authorities and clear up misunderstandings they might have had about the loan application. For the toll rates on the Golden Gate Bridge, visit www.goldengate.org/tolls. Last month, the Maryland Transportation Authority finalized its toll rates for the express toll lanes on the Capital Budget and Interstate 270. Approach roadway construction to the new Nice/Middleton Bridge will continue. Larry Hogan and state transportation officials had simply done one thing kept toll rates at 2015 prices instead of lowering them to allow the states Republican governor to fulfill his campaign pledge to reduce state taxes and by doing so improve Marylands business climate. Now, the state will either have to pay the full cost (perhaps from the expanding state government surplus during the COVID-19 pandemic), convince the Biden administration to free the money despite the loss of the bike lane and/or keep the old bridge as a bike and pedestrian path (at some unknown cost). The other, the privately owned Oldtown Low Water Toll Bridge, connects Maryland and West Virginia, far upstream. Ask SharonB2 about Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge . Tolls on the Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge are collected in the southbound direction . The original bridge will likely be demolished; no traffic uses it since the new bridge opened. October 12, 2022, The Gov. A coalition of cycling groups has fallen short in their efforts to block the state from dismantling the old Nice-Middleton Bridge that spans the Potomac between Virginia and southern Maryland. But now the project may have hit a roadblock as crucial $200 million federal loan from the U.S. Department of Transportation (about one-third of the cost for the replacement span) had been held up. [The] Plaintiffs plan for the old bridge is unworkable, unaffordable, and potentially unsafe, as [the] Defendants thoroughly explained to the Plaintiffs and other members of the public years ago, they wrote, saying demolition crews are assembled and citing hefty expenses to leave the bridge standing. (410-537-7911) . Lawyers for the state said demolition crews and equipment are on site and that a delay would have cost $21,000 a day. In their lawsuit filed in late September, the advocacy groups alleged that the 2019 design changes werent properly evaluated under federal and state environmental laws. David Brickley, president of the Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Trail Association, one of the plaintiffs, said after the hearing that he was disappointed with the ruling, adding that the groups did not have money to file an appeal. Clearly, getting the feds to back off would be the least expensive road for the state, whether its appropriate is another matter. What state is Harry W Nice Memorial Bridge in? [17] The MDTA estimated the cost of a replacement span at about $850 million, but funding was not identified as of 2012. Weather permitting, Tuesday, March 15, two-way traffic will operate on northbound US 301 so work can begin to remove the existing Nice/Middleton Bridge toll plaza. The former senator, who has been invited to attend Wednesdays ribbon-cutting, said hes not surprised the judge rejected the bike groups request for a temporary restraining order. Maryland toll roads offer a pay-by-plate option, which means you can pay your toll online within a few days, or you will receive an invoice. Harry W. Nice Memorial/Sen. The demolition of the historic Harry W. Nice Bridge may proceed as planned, a federal judge ruled this week, dashing the hopes of advocacy groups who wanted to save the structure for use as a bicycle and pedestrian path across the Potomac River. Bike groups sue over demolition of Maryland bridge they want for trail. Starting in March 2022, two-way traffic will operate on northbound US 301 so crews can remove the existing toll plaza. The Maryland Transportation Authority, which operates toll roads and bridges, had already been working with federal authorities for more than a year when the state formally applied for the loan last summer to help replace the 80-year-old bridge. With no signs of movement on the loan application, a manager at the contractor building the bridge wrote to the toll authority in January to make sure the company would still get paid. Larry Hogan (R) and other dignitaries are scheduled to open the new span Wednesday morning. Travel news, guides and tips for anyone looking to get away. (The Daily Record / Bryan P. Sears). (Courtesy Maryland.gov) Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. [20], On November 21, 2013, Governor Martin OMalley announced that the MDTA Board has approved an additional $50 million in its final six-year capital program (FY 2014 FY 2019) to fund initial design and right-of-way acquisition for the project to replace the Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge (US 301), which connects Charles County, Maryland and King George County, Virginia, across the Potomac River. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site. He reports for Maryland Matters, part of the States Newsroom network of sites covering state governments. Each service area has a restaurant, gas station, restroom, ATM, dog-walking areas, and access to drinking water. DEIJ Policy | Ethics Policy | Privacy Policy. As Maryland Matters recently reported, there are bicycle and pedestrian safety concerns. [26] However, bicycle advocacy groups, which include Potomac Heritage Trail Association, Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Association and Oxon Hill Bicycle and Trail Club, allege in a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, that state agencies, including the MDTA, violated state and federal environmental review laws by changing the project from its original conception and failing to study the impact of demolishing the bridge. This App allows us worry-free travel on TOLL ROADSAutomatically replenishing our account, notifying us of Automatically paying our access to the Toll Road. The land of fun, sun, and The OC. The southernmost county in California is home to almost 3 million people and is situated just south of Los Angeles. Click here to sign up for a Hatem Choice A E-ZPass account. The invoice will be for the amount of the bridge toll(s) with no additional fees. Brickley called it a quest to make sure the bridge can be incapacitated.. Wider sidewalks, higher railings, new lighting planned for Roosevelt Bridge. [3] It is one of eight toll facilities operated by the Maryland Transportation Authority, and is one of two toll bridges over the Potomac River. - It's a big decision coming down to the very last minute: Whether to tear down a bridge connecting Charles County, Maryland with King George County Virginia. We tried, he said. This app is so easy to use, and I can travel without having to worry about missing tolls. Were here to help! Oh, and the governor can always point out the tolls are optional since drivers still have the option of the adjacent, non-toll lanes, never mind that theyll be crowded and slower moving. Montgomery County officials and transit activists have similarly criticized Hogans plans for widening the Beltway and I-270, saying those plans will lock in decades of car dominance. with the new bridge opening in 2023. Date of experience: December 2018. It came into existence earlier than the interstate highway system, and all revenue comes from road tolls collected, with no additional tax deductions for its maintenance or management. The app saves me a ton extra minutes every day. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site. The problem with that claim is that it doesnt reveal the full story. As part of the process to greenlight a $200 million loan, our team did its due diligence, which includes asking standard questions and exploring alternatives that could benefit the people who rely on the bridge and help protect safety, which is a priority in everything that DOT does, the statement said. Access to the E-ZPass Maryland Customer Service Center (CSC) will be from Orland Park Road until the new bridge opens. U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman rejected a last-ditch effort to save the bridge in a 43-page opinion issued late Tuesday. Thank you. Bridge spans Potomac between King George, Va. and southern Maryland. Recent Project Updates Starting in March 2022, two-way traffic will operate on northbound US 301 so crews can remove the existing toll plaza. 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