Adding a shared-use path for pedestrians and cyclists on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge’s future replacement could bump the overall project cost by more than $1 billion, according to officials from the Maryland Transportation Authority.

During a presentation to the authority’s board Thursday, MDTA Director of Planning and Program Development Melissa Williams said preliminary estimates for the replacement of the two Bay Bridge spans vary from $14.8 billion to $16.4 billion without a shared-use path. With a lane for foot and bike traffic, those estimates rise to $16.1 billion to $17.6 billion.

That’s more than double the preliminary estimate of $7.8 billion presented at public meetings last year.

The story continues at The Baltimore Banner — Pedestrian and bike path could add $1 billion to new Bay Bridge’s cost

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