3,200 acre field providing for air travel to all parts of the
globe. At a cost of $15,000,000, Baltimore had one of the
largest airports in the United States.

A great road and bridge building program began with
the end of World War II. Agreements reached in 1947 to
survey ground and water for a bridge over the Chesapeake
made probable an ambitious scheme, talked of for over
forty years. On November 3, 1949, the first actual work on
such a bridge began, culminating in its opening July 30,
1952. The result is a four-mile structure (over seven if
approach roads are considered) with suspension, spans al-
lowing for craft to a height of 187 feet. Nearly two thou-
sand vehicles an hour can cover the six-minute trip. A year
after opening over $3,500,000 had been paid in tolls; the
cost, covered by a bond issue, was $45,000,000. By Decem-
ber 1952, the Washington-Annapolis Freeway was opened
between Annapolis and Route 301; the new bridge across
the Severn was opened in June 1953, to provide a direct
link between the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and the freeway.
The Baltimore-Washington Express Way was opened in its
entirety early in 1954. Eventually dual highways will run
between the Delaware State line and the District of Colum-
bia and Virginia. Another fine road, connecting the District
and Frederick, will replace Route 240. To further facilitate
traffic, an under-harbor tunnel from Fairfield to Canton
to cost $130,000,000 (including approach roads) is under
construction.

Various State institutions, particularly those for medical
and mental care, have undergone great improvements. Two
of the three authorized units of the chronic disease hospitals
have been opened, one in Wicomico County and the other
in Baltimore. The third unit, which will provide facilities
for the care of the chronically ill as well as tubercular pa-
tients, is under construction in Washington County. A 300-
bed hospital for tubercular patients has also been provided
at Mt. Wilson. A twenty-six-bed maternity ward has been
opened at Miners Hospital. The University of Maryland
has opened a 100-bed psychiatric institute in Baltimore.
Patuxent Institution, for the custody of psychopathic de-
linquents, was opened in 1956, and an institution for the
criminally insane is in the planning stages. At Green Ridge
State Forest, the first rehabilitation camp for delinquent
youth was opened in 1955.