Severn River Bridge

In a last-ditch effort to stop construction of the new Severn River Bridge, a group of Pendennis Mount residents have sued in county Circuit Court, claiming the project should not proceed until two environmental studies are done.Meanwhile, another group of residents is petitioning Gov. William Donald Schaefer to preserve the old bridge as a fishing pier.Richard L. Peters of the 1800 block Pleasant Plains Road in Annapolis, said in a press release that more than 300 people have signed a petition asking for the fishing pier.

On a December morning in 1941, Eugene H. "Dutch" Albert was standing in formation on the deck of the USS Pennsylvania when a mass of airplanes descended on the U.S. military base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. "Where did the Army get all of those airplanes?" Albert recalled a fellow Navy man remarking. Then the bombs began dropping. Soon the crew realized they were under attack by the Japanese, an event that would catapult the United States into World War II. Sixty-five years after then-1st Class Petty Officer Albert lived through that "day of infamy," carrying off the wounded and dead from the battleship, he will attend an event near Annapolis dedicating the U.S. 50 bridge at the Severn River as the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge.

The City of Annapolis has filed suit against state and federal officials to block construction of the controversial new Severn River bridge at the U.S. Naval Academy.The papers, filed yesterday in U.S. District Court in Baltimore, asked a federal judge to hold a preliminary injunction hearing within 10 days.The suit claims that the new bridge would destroy the aesthetics of the Colonial Annapolis Historic District in violation of the National Historic Preservation Act.It also claims that attempts to build the new bridge violate numerous state and federal laws, and that the defendants failed to "adequately" consider such things as the historic and environmental impact in approving plans for it.The Schaefer administration plans to replace the current drawbridge on Md. 450, which was built in 1924, with a much higher structure that many residents sharply oppose.

An unmanned barge floated out of control yesterday and crashed into the Severn River Bridge north of Annapolis, halting traffic over a key link with the Eastern Shore for more than two hours while the barge was untangled and inspectors determined the span was structurally sound. After receiving a 911 call about a 100-foot-long barge adrift near Luce Creek, the Coast Guard contacted Maryland State Police, who stopped traffic from using the six-lane bridge at 10:25 a.m. Seven minutes later, according to Coast Guard logs, the barge - owned by a Stevensville company - hit one of the bridge's supports, knocking out a piece of concrete.

Three men stood shivering under a crane in front of the Severn RiverBridge and joked about throwing themselves under its wheels.In the hush after the laughter, they stared gloomily at the construction signs and orange barrels lining the entrance of the crumbling Annapolis drawbridge.Community activists are still fighting in the courts and organizing marches to protest replacement of the 1920s-era bridge with a modern 80-foot-high span. But construction of the new $33.4 million bridge has begun.

After almost a year of making their case in public with computer-simulated graphics, helicopter flights and press conferences, opponents of an 80-foot bridge over the Severn River finally had their day in U.S. District Court yesterday.But Judge Joseph C. Howard refused to allow testimony from five of the opponents' key witnesses or to to hear evidence from outside the state and federal record before yesterday afternoon's hearing in Baltimore.Howard is expected to rule before Monday whether to stop construction of the proposed $40 million span.

On a December morning in 1941, Eugene H. "Dutch" Albert was standing in formation on the deck of the USS Pennsylvania when a mass of airplanes descended on the U.S. military base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. "Where did the Army get all of those airplanes?" Albert recalled a fellow Navy man remarking. Then the bombs began dropping. Soon the crew realized they were under attack by the Japanese, an event that would catapult the United States into World War II. Sixty-five years after then-1st Class Petty Officer Albert lived through that "day of infamy," carrying off the wounded and dead from the battleship, he will attend an event near Annapolis dedicating the U.S. 50 bridge at the Severn River as the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge.

Separate accidents on the Severn River bridge near Annapolis and the Bay Bridge snarled traffic on U.S. 50 yesterday, causing backups that stretched as far as 12 miles. The biggest of the headaches was caused by an accident about 8:10 a.m. in the eastbound lanes of the highway on the Severn River bridge, according to state police. Police said a vehicle that was changing lanes struck another vehicle, causing both to overturn. They, in turn, were struck by a third eastbound vehicle. The bumper of one eastbound vehicle involved in the crash flew off and landed in the westbound lanes, police said.

50 years ago A slight settlement has been going on for some time on the north pier of the Severn River bridge at Annapolis. The condition "is nothing to worry about." The state has considered replacing the bridge with a new one. -- The Sun, Jan.5, 1946. Annapolis belles have been invited to take part, along with girls in other state capitals, in the "Capital Girl" contest sponsored by Coast Guardsmen of Loran Station in the North Atlantic. -- The Sun, Jan. 12, 1946.

The Old Severn River Bridge that carries Route 450 out of Annapolis reopened for car and light truck traffic yesterday, two days after a counterweight fell off and damaged the bridge supports.But it will take about two weeks before repairs can reopen the 69-year-old drawbridge to all traffic, state highway officials said.Cars and pick-up trucks weighing 7,000 pounds and under will be allowed across the bridge, which normally has a vehicle weight limit of 24,000 pounds, enough to handle school buses and heavier trucks.

Separate accidents on the Severn River bridge near Annapolis and the Bay Bridge snarled traffic on U.S. 50 yesterday, causing backups that stretched as far as 12 miles. The biggest of the headaches was caused by an accident about 8:10 a.m. in the eastbound lanes of the highway on the Severn River bridge, according to state police. Police said a vehicle that was changing lanes struck another vehicle, causing both to overturn. They, in turn, were struck by a third eastbound vehicle. The bumper of one eastbound vehicle involved in the crash flew off and landed in the westbound lanes, police said.

50 years ago A slight settlement has been going on for some time on the north pier of the Severn River bridge at Annapolis. The condition "is nothing to worry about." The state has considered replacing the bridge with a new one. -- The Sun, Jan.5, 1946. Annapolis belles have been invited to take part, along with girls in other state capitals, in the "Capital Girl" contest sponsored by Coast Guardsmen of Loran Station in the North Atlantic. -- The Sun, Jan. 12, 1946.

The Old Severn River Bridge is back in use -- 14 feet under water.Instead of the crumbling crossing for motorists it had become, it now serves as home to 10 million spat -- baby oysters -- that were dumped into the river yesterday by the Sherwood Forest youngsters who raised them from larvae."

The State Highway Administration agreed yesterday to stick to its original plans and preserve 280 feet of the old Severn River Bridge as a fishing pier.The decision ends a brouhaha over the agency's proposal to extend the pier 560 feet from Jonas Green State Park."I guess now they can trim the bridge down," said William Moulden, president of the Severn River Association, which opposed extending the pier more than 280 feet.The Army Corps of Engineers, which issued a permit for 6 6TC 280-foot pier, issued a stern reminder to the state about its obligations.

A plan to create wetlands adjacent to Weems Creek in Annapolis using rubble from the Ridgely Avenue bridge is in jeopardy because of a dispute between state and federal officials over a nearby project, a local environmental leader said.William Moulden, president of the Severn River Association, has asked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for a permit to sink 550 tons of the bridge, which is due to be replaced, to create wetlands.But, he said, his permit application "is in the Dumpster right now," because the State Highway Administration (SHA)

Barring any weather disasters that might hold up completion, the new Severn River Bridge will open for traffic in about two weeks.Well, for half the traffic anyway.The eastbound lanes should be open the week of Aug. 15. Those who have to travel west from Annapolis will still be using the old bridge until the end of the month. So will pedestrians and bicyclists, said Chuck Brown, a spokesman for the State Highway Administration."Demolition of the old bridge will begin in late August," he said.

Wounded officers sue accused man for $6.2 millionTwo Annapolis police officers filed a $6.2 million suit yesterday in Circuit Court against a man they say shot them during a Feb. 19 drug raid at an Annapolis apartment.The suit, filed by Sgt. Milton P. Gibbs and Cpl. James C. Doran, alleges that Daryl LaMont Jones, 21, of Bowie shot them when they arrived to search an apartment at 61 W. Washington St. shortly after 1 a.m. as part of a drug investigation.Sergeant Gibbs was hit in the right eye and right eyelid, and Corporal Doran was shot in the abdomen and thigh, the suit says.

I hope they pick a name for the new Severn River bridge soon.BLife was easier when it was still the old Severn River bridge. You had two bridges connecting the Broadneck Peninsula and Annapolis Neck, the old low Severn River Bridge and the new high Severn River bridge.Now the old bridge is not only new, but high, too. So you've got the new new high Severn River bridge and the new old Severn River bridge.Annapolis Mayor Al Hopkins, traditionalist that he is, said he'd prefer that the new new bridge remain just "The Severn River Bridge."

The old Severn River Bridge is headed for the bottom of the river to become one of the first oyster recovery projects since the December signing of a pact to restore the Chesapeake Bay's shellfish population.The innovative project is designed to create an oyster bed that will help naturally purify water and attract fish while serving as pilot program for studying artificial reefs and aquaculture."Getting 21,000 tons of concrete slab is "the opportunity of a lifetime," said William Moulden.

I hope they pick a name for the new Severn River bridge soon.BLife was easier when it was still the old Severn River bridge. You had two bridges connecting the Broadneck Peninsula and Annapolis Neck, the old low Severn River Bridge and the new high Severn River bridge.Now the old bridge is not only new, but high, too. So you've got the new new high Severn River bridge and the new old Severn River bridge.Annapolis Mayor Al Hopkins, traditionalist that he is, said he'd prefer that the new new bridge remain just "The Severn River Bridge."