http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20090724/NEWS/90724009/-1/updates/Officials-reluctantly-approve-replacing-OC-bridge---
Officials reluctantly approve replacing OC bridge
SNOW HILL, Md. -- A plan that would replace the U.S. 50 bridge into Ocean City, Md., with a new parallel draw span has been accepted by Worcester County commissioners.
Their reluctant approval comes two months after telling Maryland's State Highway Administration officials to scrap loftier plans and simply restore the existing bridge.
The commissioners were told this week that even with continued maintenance, a new span needs to be built.
"Last time we told you to just fix the damn bridge; that's what our bottom line was," said Commissioner Judy Boggs. "But now you are saying now you can't do that."
According to SHA Project Manager Jamaica Kennon, the Harry W. Kelley Memorial Bridge will only last another 20-25 years before becoming functionally obsolete.
"There is going to come a point when, economically, it won't be feasible to maintain it anymore," Kennon said.
Of the three possible options, the commissioners gave their blessing to what is known as "Alternative 5A" -- a $300 million plan that calls for a 30-foot tall parallel draw span built to the north of the existing bridge.
Alternative 5A would displace 13 properties, and at 30 feet in height the draw span would not have to open as regularly as the existing 15-foot-tall bridge.
"It has the least impact to the downtown area," said Commission President Louise Gulyas.
The state and the majority of the Ocean City Town Council, however, favor a $400 million, 45-foot-tall, fly-over span that would route traffic directly onto Baltimore and Philadelphia avenues, displacing 45 properties in the process.
The commissioners also asked that most of the old bridge be removed, leaving some on the west side of the Isle of Wight Bay for a fishing pier.
"It would be a great facility to use for fishing," Commissioner Bud Church said.
The SHA will make a decision this summer on which plan it will advance. The project has been funded through the planning stage, but state officials could not say when the money would be available for construction.
Getting the money, they said, could take 20 years to do anyway.
While the commissioners gave their blessing to one of the state plans, many said they would prefer rehabilitating the existing span.
"I really wish you would just fix the damn bridge," Gulyas said.