Bay Bridge Repairs Got You Down?
Maryland’s Byways Offer Another Way to Get Around
Baltimore, MD (August 28, 2008) - Safety first is the watchword for getting travelers to the Eastern Shore and Ocean City.
“The necessary closing of a lane on the Bay Bridge creates a daily challenge for travelers,” said Governor O’Malley. “The people of Maryland should rest assured that while these necessary repairs continue, every opportunity is being taken to alleviate congestion and provide alternative routes and methods of transportation.”
That’s why the Maryland Office of Tourism wants to alert travelers that there are alternatives to reaching the beach that offer scenic beauty, quaint towns and opportunities to take the road less traveled.
Maryland’s Byways program, a joint initiative of the Maryland Office of Tourism and the State Highway Administration, offers alternative routes to the Eastern Shore towns and Ocean City. Heeding the Maryland Transportation Authority’s travel suggestion to reach the Eastern Shore via I-95, travelers will find several routes that get them to the shore.
Upon arriving in the Chesapeake Bay town of North East, seek out the America’s Byway, Chesapeake Country. This nationally recognized byway follows Route 213 and takes travelers through Chestertown and Wye Mills before intersecting with the traditional beach route of 404, which is the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway. The sites along this route will take travelers along the secret network of trails that enslaved people used on their way to liberty and freedom.
By either staying on the Chesapeake County or Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad byways, travelers will be nearing the beach and have the opportunity to intersect with the Blue Crab Byway. This byway can lead to the Chesapeake Bay or the Atlantic Ocean and with a byway named after the state crustacean, there is sure to be some good eating along the way.
Maryland’s network of scenic byways contain 19 routes that offer travelers an opportunity to leave the interstate behind, explore Maryland’s scenic beauty, and learn of the state’s rich historic and cultural heritage. To learn how to reach the beach, or anywhere else in Maryland, along a byway, contact the Maryland Office of Tourism by calling 1-800-719-5900 or by visiting www.visitmaryland.org to get a Maryland Scenic Byways Guide and Map.
- View Scenic Byways Bay Gateways Itinerary
- Download individual Byways
