Governor Thomas Johnson Bridge
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{use mdy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Infobox bridge
| bridge_name = Governor Thomas Johnson Bridge
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| image = Gov Johnson Bridge Dec 08.JPG
| image_size = 200px
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| caption = Gov. Thomas Johnson Bridge, Solomons, Md., December 2008
| official_name = Governor Thomas Johnson Bridge
| other_name = Thomas Johnson Bridge, Solomons Bridge
| carries = 2 lanes of {{jct|state=MD|MD|4}}
| crosses = Lower Patuxent River
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| height = 140 feet
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| open = December 17, 1977{{citation needed|date=March 2016}}
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The Governor Thomas Johnson Memorial Bridge (also referred to as the Thomas Johnson Bridge and the Solomons Bridge) is a {{convert|1.37|mi|adj=on}} bridge in Maryland over the lower Patuxent River joining Calvert and St. Mary's counties. The bridge, named for the first governor of Maryland, Thomas Johnson, saw construction start in 1972 and opened to traffic on December 17, 1977.
The bridge, carrying an average of 33,000 vehicles a day on Maryland Route 4 (MD 4), is one of two crossings of the Patuxent River in Southern Maryland (the other is the Benedict Bridge approximately 20 miles up river, where MD 231 connects Calvert County and Charles County).
The north end of the bridge, on the Calvert side, is located in Solomons. Just prior to the bridge, MD 2-4 narrows from four lanes to two, and MD 2 exits the highway, passing under the bridge and heading toward downtown Solomons. MD 4 continues onto the bridge itself and over the Patuxent River.
Description
The bridge, carrying two lanes and no shoulders, rises to a height of approximately {{convert|140|ft|m}} tall, making a trip over the bridge in windy weather somewhat nerve-wracking for travelers. From the top of the bridge, one can see the entire town of Solomons, the runways at the Patuxent River Naval Air Station, and the Chesapeake Bay.
The bridge begins in St. Mary's County, before even reaching the Patuxent River. It passes over Town Creek first, then crosses over the unincorporated community of Spencers Wharf on a viaduct. Once over the community, the bridge passes over the Patuxent River, entering Calvert County. Shortly after reaching land, MD 2 joins MD 4 and cross Calvert County together for a long concurrency on a four-lane divided highway.
The Thomas Johnson Bridge is a variable depth beam bridge. Massive concrete pilings hold the bridge up over the river.
Problems
In the summer of 1988, cracks were found in the foundation of the Thomas Johnson Bridge, causing it to be closed for repairs over several months.{{cite news
|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1263729.html
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110516200129/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1263729.html
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=May 16, 2011
|title=Johnson Bridge Closing Cuts Calvert, St. Mary's 'Lifeline'
|date=June 21, 1988
|newspaper=The Washington Post
|author=Eugene L. Meyer
|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1264086.html
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110516200138/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1264086.html
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=May 16, 2011
|title=Md. Bridge Structure Seen As Inadequate
|date=June 23, 1988
|newspaper=The Washington Post
|author=John Lancaster
|author2=Robert Barnes
}}
People traveling north into Calvert County were forced to make a half-hour detour to the Benedict Bridge. People traveling south into St. Mary's County were likewise forced to either utilize the Benedict Bridge or take a free charter boat across the Patuxent River to a park and ride lot on the southern side.
{{As of|2007|09}}, there has been much talk and public debate over either expanding the Thomas Johnson Bridge by adding a parallel span, or replacing the bridge with a four-lane span. The reasons for such proposals are twofold. First, the recent increase in the amount of traffic of commuters traveling to and from the Patuxent River Naval Air Station has made the two-lane, single-span bridge functionally obsolete. Traffic on the bridge during rush hour can cause back-ups all the way back to the Route 235 intersection, and instances where there is an accident on the bridge itself can cause total gridlock.{{Citation needed|date=September 2007}}
Secondly, the fear of more structural issues of the Thomas Johnson Bridge arising (such as the one in 1988), coupled with the apparent over-capacity use of the bridge on a daily basis, has caused some safety concerns about the bridge's stability.{{cite web
|url=http://www.topix.net/content/trb/2007/08/maryland-bridges-sound-officials-say
|title=Maryland bridges sound, officials say
|author=Michael Dresser
|date=August 2, 2007
|publisher=Baltimore Sun
}}{{dead link|date=March 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite news
| url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2007/08/03/bay-bridge-8-others-to-be-reinspected-out-of-abundance-of-caution/
| title=Bay Bridge, 8 others to be reinspected out of 'abundance of caution'
| first=Michael
| last=Dresser
| date=August 3, 2007
| newspaper=The Baltimore Sun
| access-date=March 18, 2013
}}
These fears have grown substantially in the wake of the I-35W Mississippi River bridge collapse in Minneapolis, Minnesota on August 1, 2007.
{{As of|September 2007}}, a study to determine whether the bridge should be expanded or replaced is being debated by Maryland governmental officials.{{Citation needed|date=September 2007}}
Incident history
The bridge has a history of traffic accidents; some minor resulting in a slight delay to major accidents resulting in the bridge being closed for numerous hours. Also, at times the bridge has been closed numerous times for Maintenance and Repairs. Since the bridge opened in December 1977 (up to October 2021), at least 15 people have jumped off the bridge and died, and six have now jumped and survived, according to Southern Maryland Newspapers accounts.{{citation needed|date=August 2018}}
July 24, 1992; fugitive survives 100-ft dive.{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1992/07/24/fugitive-survives-100-foot-dive/|title=Fugitive survives 100-foot dive|publisher=|access-date=March 19, 2017}}
Feb. 11, 2008; Serious vehicle crash resulting in a fatality.{{cite web|url=http://somd.com/news/headlines/2008/7184.php|title=St. Leonard Motorcyclist Dead After Thomas Johnson Bridge Accident|first=Virtually Everything|last=Inc.|date=February 11, 2008 |publisher=|accessdate=March 19, 2017}}
May 2, 2011, at approximately 10:55{{nbsp}}pm; single vehicle accident with 3 trapped.{{cite web|url=http://www.bdvfd.org/apps/public/news/newsView.cfm?News_ID=1034|title=Crews Catch Another Car Accident Near The Thomas Johnson Bridge|first=Bay District Volunteer Fire|last=Department|publisher=|accessdate=March 19, 2017}}
April 9, 2013, at approximately 6:30{{nbsp}}p.m; Suicide.{{cite web|url=http://smnewsnet.com/archives/58010/possible-suicide-on-thomas-johnson-bridge/|title=Possible Suicide on Thomas Johnson Bridge |date=April 10, 2013|work=Southern Maryland News Net|accessdate=March 19, 2017}}
Feb. 16, 2015, at 6:33{{nbsp}}pm; Serious vehicle crash resulting in a fatality.{{cite web|url=http://www.the-chesapeake.com/2015/02/18/racheal-keaton-killed-crash-top-solomons-bridge-george-steffey-injured-snowy-nightmare/|title=Racheal Keaton killed in crash on top of Solomon's Bridge; George Steffey injured in snowy nightmare |date=February 18, 2015 |publisher=|accessdate=March 19, 2017}}
May 1, 2015, at approximately 1:18{{nbsp}}a.m; single vehicle accident resulting in driver flown to Shock Trauma and another passenger taken by ambulance to the hospital.{{cite web|url=http://smnewsnet.com/archives/284378/serious-accident-on-the-thomas-johnson-bridge-under-investigation/|title=Serious Accident on the Thomas Johnson Bridge Under Investigation|date=May 1, 2015|work=Southern Maryland News Net|accessdate=March 19, 2017}}
September 28, 2015, at approximately 7:55{{nbsp}}am; head-on collision with 4 vehicles with 1 subject trapped.{{cite web|url=http://smnewsnet.com/archives/393205/charges-pending-in-four-vehicle-accident-on-thomas-johnson-bridge/|title=Charges Pending in Four Vehicle Accident on Thomas Johnson Bridge - Southern Maryland News Net|date=September 30, 2015|publisher=|accessdate=March 19, 2017}}
March 18, 2016; 4-car accident, rear-end collision.{{citation needed|date=August 2018}}
April 29, 2016, at approximately 12:38p. Head-On/Serious motor vehicle crash, 3 vehicles involved; 1 driver flown to Shock Trauma and another transported by ambulance to the hospital. Bridge was closed till 2:40{{nbsp}}pm (2 hours).{{cite web|url=http://www.thebaynet.com/articles/0416/advisory-_-vehicle-crash-on-bridge.html|title=Serious Accident stalls bridge traffic|date=April 29, 2016 |publisher=|accessdate=March 19, 2017}}
September 6, 2016, reports started around 7{{nbsp}}am for a major pothole, later to learn that the manhole cover had been stolen. Bridged closed for 2–3 hours and then 1 lane operation for 10 hours while SHA temporarily repair/replace the manhole.{{cite web|url=http://www.thebaynet.com/articles/0916/themissingmanholecovercapermightremainunsolved.html|title=The missing manhole cover caper might remain unsolved|date=September 8, 2016 |publisher=|accessdate=March 19, 2017}}
October 7, 2016, at approximately 2:35{{nbsp}}p.m; suicide attempt and then flown to Prince George's Hospital Center{{cite web|url=http://www.somdnews.com/breaking/woman-jumps-off-solomons-bridge-police-report/article_62025374-e802-5b5b-b407-8e3afa1a8680.html|title=Woman jumps off Solomons bridge, police report|first=MEGHAN|last=CADY|date=October 7, 2016 |publisher=|accessdate=March 19, 2017}}
November 10, 2016, approximately 4:37{{nbsp}}pm. Head-On/Serious motor vehicle crash with fatality; 3 vehicles involved. 1 passenger flown out, several transported to the hospital by ambulance. Bridge was closed for several hours.{{cite web|url=http://www.thebaynet.com/articles/1116/fatalaccidentonthegovernorthomasjohnsonmemorialbridge.html|title=Update - Names released in fatal crash on bridge|date=November 11, 2016 |publisher=|accessdate=March 19, 2017}}
On December 14, 2022, at approximately 10:15 p.m., police, fire and rescue personnel responded to a multiple vehicle collision with 4 occupants reportedly injured.{{cite web|url=https://thebaynet.com/two-injured-one-flown-out-after-collision-on-thomas-johnson-bridge/|title=Two Injured, One Flown Out After Collision On Thomas Johnson Bridge|date=December 15, 2022 |publisher=|accessdate=February 10, 2023}}
Future
On May 16, 2013, Governor Martin O'Malley signed the Transportation Infrastructure Investment Act of 2013, which increases the gasoline tax to fund transportation infrastructure projects. The governor's announcement specifically includes $20 Million for design of a new Thomas Johnson Bridge.{{cite web |url=http://www.governor.maryland.gov/blog/?p=8731 |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2014-04-17 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140419011540/http://www.governor.maryland.gov/blog/?p=8731 |archivedate=2014-04-19 }}
References
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External links
{{commons category}}
- [http://www.webshots.com/search?query=Thomas+Johnson+Bridge06 Greg's Solomons Island, Maryland pictures from cityscapes photos on webshots] Aerial view of the bridge
- [http://members.virtualtourist.com/vt/s/?m=6&l.q=c42df VirtualTourist.com] More pictures
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070330205722/http://www.pride2.org/NewPrideSite/MD/Logs/Log9.html Pride II Log - November 1, 1999] Describes bridge and surroundings
- [http://chart.state.md.us/video/video.php?feed=b50008f100c700dc004a02366d235daa Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) live video] St. Mary's County end of the bridge
- [http://www.chart.state.md.us/travInfo/RPUStatus.asp?Sysid=551&Rpuid=45&Units=English MDOT current weather data] Calvert County end of the bridge
{{Crossings navbox
|structure = Bridges
|place = Patuxent River
|bridge = Governor Thomas Johnson Bridge
|bridge signs = 20px
|upstream text = North
|upstream = Benedict Bridge
|upstream signs = 25px
|downstream text = South
|downstream = Chesapeake Bay
|downstream signs =
}}
{{coord|38|19|34.7|N|76|28|17.23|W|type:landmark|display=title}}
Category:Bridges completed in 1977
Category:Beam bridges in the United States
Category:Road bridges in Maryland