Bay Bridge progress report

The steel plates that seem to have become a permanent part of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge roadway will be removed from the westbound lanes before Memorial Day weekend, says the Maryland Transportation Authority, which is in charge of the bridge rehabilitation project.

Workers last week installed the final segments of the new deck as part of the bridge preservation project that began in December 2006. There were 300 deck segments altogether. Other elements of the preservation project include new railings and overhead lane signals.

"The westbound span is nearly ready for the summer travel season, and we are on target to complete the entire project this fall," Maryland Transportation Secretary Beverly Swaim-Staley said in a statement Tuesday.

During the summer, other preservation work will continue and workers will dismantle the re-decking work zone during off-peak and overnight hours. Use this link for the Bay Bridge traffic cameras or call 877-BAYSPAN. (Use this link to get the same audio feed.)