ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan says he's ordering expedited work on repairs to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge that are causing major traffic backups, but the work can't be delayed without a risk to safety.
Hogan said Wednesday that maintenance delays for more than a decade have "caused tremendous safety problems." He says if repairs are neglected, "the crisis could go from terrible and unbearable to catastrophic and life threatening."
The bridge is the only one in Maryland that crosses the bay and connects the state's western and eastern shores. An average of 74,870 vehicles use it daily. It's just over 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) long.
The $27 million deck rehabilitation project began last month. It's slated to last about two years.
Hogan says crews will work 24-hours a day.
