Smooth New Driving Surface Complete on Hanover Street Bridge
The long wait is over for a smooth new driving surface on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge, which is also known as the Hanover Street Bridge. Over the weekend, the Baltimore City Department of Transportation (DOT) applied a new asphalt surface on top of the bridge’s concrete deck. The bridge reopened to the public on Sunday.
While the bridge remains structurally sound according to yearly DOT inspections, pot holes covering the driving surface were the source of much angst by local drivers and residents in recent years. Now, the drive over the bridge is much smoother and quieter.
Repairs to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge’s concrete deck took place in recent months to prep for the new asphalt surface. The resurfacing project cost approximately $400,000.
The new asphalt surface will be temporary as DOT is moving forward on a plan for a $50-million renovation of the 102-year-old bridge. This plan takes the deck of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge from a five-lane bridge to a four-lane bridge. The extra space is used to increase the sidewalks from 6 ft. in width to 8 ft. in width on one side and to 10 ft. in width on the other side. The plan also includes new 2 ft.-wide barriers separating the sidewalks from the driving lanes, and separating the middle two driving lanes.
This plan will also permanently close the drawbridge span. The steel grate grind deck will be filled with the new concrete surface.
The project likely won’t begin for another four to five years as additional engineering and environmental studies are planned and funding sources need to be identified.
Youtube Video from Pat Gavin
Deck conditions before repairs began
About the Author: Kevin Lynch
Founder and Publisher of SouthBmore.com, longtime resident of South Baltimore, and a graduate of Towson University. Diehard Ravens and O's fan, father of three, amateur pizza chef, skateboarder, and "bar food" foodie. Email me at Kevin@InceptMM.com and follow me on Twitter at @SoBoKevin.
