Key Bridge

Maryland Transportation Authority Police used dogs and mirrors to check vehicles for bombs and hazardous chemicals last night on the Key Bridge as part of a security exercise that will be duplicated at other state tunnels and bridges. Police set up security checkpoints from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. at both sides of the bridge - at the tollbooths on the Baltimore County side and along the Beltway on the bridge approach in the city. Transportation authority Police Chief Gary W. McLhinney said that no threat had been made to the bridge, but police wanted to test and refine security measures.

A water rescue of four people from a boat offshore from Hawkins Point in Baltimore late Sunday night resulted in three people being taken to area hospitals, two of them in critical condition, the United States Coast Guard said Monday. The rescue occurred near the south end of the Key Bridge after a local fisherman called the Coast Guard about 9:45 p.m. to report a 40-foot recreational boat had crashed into concrete pilings in the water, said Petty Officer 1st Class Nathan Henise.

State transportation officials have a word of advice for commuters and beachgoers who usually include the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel in their travel plans: Don't. Rush-hour and weekend delays of up to an hour are expected beginning June 20 as construction crews replace the concrete decking on the four-lane bridge just south of the Interstate 895 tunnel toll plaza that carries traffic over the CSX train tracks. "There will be eight weeks of continuous lane closures," said Cheryl Sparks of the Maryland Transportation Authority.

Ever wished you could breeze through a highway toll booth without stopping to pay?Early next year, Baltimore area commuters who use the Harbor Tunnel, the Fort McHenry Tunnel or the Francis Scott Key Bridge will have a chance to live that fantasy.The Maryland Transportation Authority is preparing to unveil a new electronic toll collection system that officials say should ease rush-hour backups at the three Patapsco River crossings.Similar to automated toll booths now operating in other urban areas, Maryland's high-tech system, dubbed "M-TAG," will allow motorists to use the two tunnels or the bridge without having to stop, roll down their windows and fumble for change.

WHAT'S GOING ON with construction at the Key Bridge?Commuter Ed Donnald wants to know."Why would they tear down that causeway and rebuild those two lanes?" he asked recently. "Perhaps you could do the math for me. How much does it cost to maintain the causeway for a year, vs. how much does it cost to tear down all that roadway, rebuild it on the ground and then maintain it for a year? My guess is that it will take many years to break even."The project is expensive -- $89.5 million. But Maryland Transportation Authority officials say the need is great enough to justify using toll revenues to expand the ramps on Interstate 695 East near the Key Bridge because 28,000 vehicles pass through each day en route to Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties.

The Strasser family came from New York to Baltimore this week to see wrestling at 1 s t Mariner Arena, dolphins at the National Aquarium and baseball at Oriole Park. On Tuesday the Strassers were also the first in line to experience Baltimore's newest attraction: high-speed sightseeing cruises that take passengers from the Inner Harbor to the Key Bridge and back at speeds of up to 32 knots. "This is our second time coming down to Baltimore," said Julie Strasser, who traveled with her husband, Jack, and 10-year-old son, Anthony.

Marylanders began cleaning up from Hurricane Irene this morning but mostly the state emerged from the storm without significant damage or widespread flooding, as feared. Emergency officials cautioned that high winds are expected throughout the day as the storm hit New York City. They said Irene could still lead to more downed trees and power lines. And flooding in many areas, from Baltimore to the Eastern Shore, still remains possible with continued storm surges. One death was reported in a house collapse in Queen Anne's County, and state officials are on their way this morning to southern Maryland to assess the St. Mary's Lake Dam, where they are worried it could fail.

All traffic is being held at the Harbor Tunnel northbound due to an accident this afternooon. Motorists are advised to use the Fort McHenry Tunnel or Key Bridge as alternative routes. Originally published April 23, 2004, 3:11 PM EDT