<P> $4.00 (2 - axle, cash or E-ZPass) $2.50 (2 - axle, Maryland E-Z Pass) </P> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Chesapeake Bay Bridge Location on a map of Maryland </Th> </Tr> <P> The Chesapeake Bay Bridge (commonly known as the "Bay Bridge") is a major dual - span bridge in the U.S state of Maryland . Spanning the Chesapeake Bay, it connects the state's rural Eastern Shore region with the urban Western Shore . The original span opened in 1952 and with a length of 4.3 miles (6.9 km), was the world's longest continuous over-water steel structure; the parallel span was added in 1973 . The bridge is officially named the "Gov. William Preston Lane Jr . Memorial Bridge" after William Preston Lane Jr. who, as the 52nd Governor of Maryland, initiated its construction in the late 1940s finally after decades of political indecision and public controversy . </P> <P> The bridge is part of U.S. Route 50 (US 50) and US 301, and serves as a vital link in both routes . As part of cross-country US 50, it connects the Baltimore - Washington Metropolitan Area with Ocean City, Maryland, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and other coastal tourist resort destinations . As part of US 301, it serves as part of an alternative route for Interstate 95 travelers, between northern Delaware and the Washington, D.C., area . Because of this linkage, the bridge is busy and has become known as a point of traffic congestion, particularly during peak hours and summer months . </P>

When was the bay bridge in maryland built