With the I-695 Francis Scott Key Bridge unavailable, the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) identifies the Fort McHenry Tunnel on I-95 and the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel on I-895 as alternate harbor crossings. Neither is reliably faster for every trip: choose based on your start and end points, direction, departure time, live traffic and any tunnel restrictions or closures.
Which routes can replace the Key Bridge?
For a harbor crossing, MDTA names two alternatives: the Fort McHenry Tunnel (I-95) and the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel (I-895). The right choice depends on the particular trip. Official guidance does not establish either tunnel as universally quicker.
Compare routes using your origin and destination, direction of travel, departure time, current congestion, incidents, closures, vehicle restrictions and toll implications. A through trip and a local trip may favor different approaches, and conditions can change during the day.
How much extra time should you allow?
MDTA warns Baltimore-area commuters to expect longer rush-hour periods and delays on I-95 and I-895. Its guidance does not provide a universal number of minutes to add, nor a quantified average delay for a particular origin, destination or departure time. Use a live estimate for your own trip rather than relying on a fixed buffer.
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MDTA describes its general busy periods as guidance, not a travel-time guarantee; incidents, holidays, weather and lane closures can change conditions. Check MDTA’s Harbor Crossings information and its linked CHART live-traffic resource before leaving.
Check tunnel closures and vehicle rules before choosing
The alternate tunnels are toll routes, and construction or maintenance can affect them too. MDTA posts dated tunnel advisories. For example, its Harbor Crossings page displayed a Fort McHenry Tunnel overnight-closure advisory for October 5–8, 2026; that notice applies to those dates, not as a standing closure. Verify the advisory for the day and time you plan to travel.
Drivers carrying hazardous materials or operating unusual vehicles should consult MDTA’s tunnel restrictions and required routing instructions before setting out. Do not assume either tunnel is available to every vehicle.
If you already use E-ZPass, make sure your transponder is mounted correctly; MDTA’s I-895 driver alert gives mounting guidance. A holder may help keep a transponder properly positioned, but it does not help select a route.
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What the rebuild schedule means for drivers
MDTA’s August 25, 2026 announcement said it was accepting bids for demolition and miscellaneous marine work—the second of four rebuild contracts—with that package’s work anticipated to begin in late 2026. The agency said this work was being advanced alongside other procurements and construction work was already underway.
In its May 19, 2026 procurement announcement, MDTA described the anticipated starts for the other packages as spring 2027 for the North Land Approach and South Land Approach, and summer 2027 for the Main Span and Marine Approaches. The announcement also said Kiewit Infrastructure Co. would continue contracted work through at least the end of 2026, including permanent foundation piles and a marine work trestle. These are dated anticipated milestones, not guaranteed start dates: MDTA said the final schedule would depend on completing competitive procurements and awarding contracts.
MDTA’s November 17, 2025 release estimated project costs at $4.3–$5.2 billion and anticipated opening the replacement bridge to traffic in late 2030. Those are estimates published in 2025, not a firm opening date. The cited 2026 procurement announcements describe contract activity but do not replace that opening estimate.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Account for the southeast-side work zone
For drivers approaching the southeast side of the beltway, the I-695 Sparrows Point work zone is a separate consideration from the tunnel choice. MDTA’s project update said that, beginning July 31, 2026, weather permitting, I-695 north of Bear Creek would reopen to two lanes in each direction and keep that arrangement through Key Bridge rebuild construction; it described one lane in each direction across Bear Creek. Check MDTA’s current Key Bridge project notice before relying on those lane counts, since the notice may change.
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A practical pre-trip check
- Enter your actual start point, destination and departure time in a live traffic service linked from MDTA’s Harbor Crossings page; compare I-95 through the Fort McHenry Tunnel with I-895 through the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel.
- Check CHART for current incidents and congestion, then review MDTA’s tunnel advisories for maintenance, overnight closures or lane restrictions on your travel date.
- Confirm that the tunnel route is permitted for your vehicle or load, and account for tolls.
- If your approach uses the southeast section of I-695, check the current Sparrows Point project notice for lane arrangements.
- Recheck conditions close to departure; a route that looked workable earlier may be delayed or temporarily unavailable.
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