How long is the Chesapeake Bay Bridge?

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge is 17.6 miles long. It includes a submerged tunnel that allows sea vessels to pass without the need of a drawbridge.

Prior to the opening of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, a private ferry service provided transportation across Chesapeake Bay. Construction of the bridge-tunnel began in 1960, and it opened to public use in April 1964. It received worldwide acclaim, including being named 1965's "Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement" by the American Society of Civil Engineers. A second, parallel bridge was proposed in 1995 as an expansion of the original project. The new bridge was completed in April, 1999.