Baltimore/Washington International (BWI)
Airport, the State's major air earner facility, is
operated by the Administration BWI Airport
formerly was Friendship International Airport,
which began operation in 1950 In 1972, the State
was authorized to purchase Friendship Inrernation
al Airport from Baltimore City (Chapter 180, Acts
of 1972) The Airport was renamed BWI in 1973
The Administration also supervises the operation of
the Martin State Airport in Baltimore County
The Administration inspects and licenses com-
mercial airports, air schools, and air school instruc
tors for safe operation It fosters safety in aviation
through educational seminars for pilots and
mechanics, and through its publications including
a combined Maryland airports directory and
aeronautical chart
The Administration provides technical and
financial assistance to airport sponsors and owners
in die preparation of master plans and in improve
ments to facilities Standardized runway markings
are applied and maintained at airports throughout
the State A Maryland Aviation System Plan has
been prepared in cooperation with the Planning
and Development staff in the Secretary's Office and
other State and local agencies (Code Transporta-
tion Article, sees 5 101 through 5-1105)
The Administration works through four offices
Business Administration, Marketing and Develop
ment. Planning and Engineering, and Airport
Operations
The Maryland Aviation Administrator is ap-
pointed by the Secretary of Transportation with the
Governor's approval

MARYLAND TRANSPORTATION
AUTHORITY

Chairperson 0 James Lighthizer, Secretary of
Transportation

Appointed by Governor with Senate advice & consent
Ronald L Freeland, 1991, Robert R Neall, 1991,
T Scott Cushmg, 1992, Louise P Hobhtzell,
1992, J Owen Cole, 1993, Daniel F McMullen
III, 1993

John A Agro, Jr , Executive Secretary

PO Box 9088
Dundalk, MD 21222 563-7130
TTY for Deaf 355-7024
traffic & road condition reports 355 2080/1
Public Affairs Office 563-7104, ext 204
toll free 1-800-642-3282

The Maryland Transportation Authority
governs and sets policy for the State's toll roads,
bridges, and runnels (Code Transportation Article,

Department ofTransportuttcn/473

sees 4-201 through 4 404) The Authority was
created in 1970 (Chapter 526, Acts of 1970)
The Transportation Authority operates and main-
tains four toll bridges, the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel,
the Fort McHenry Tunnel, and die John F Kennedy
Memorial Highway These facilities were constructed
with proceeds from the sale of revenue bonds and from
toll revenues They are operated and maintained solely
through the tolls charged to users
The Authority consists of the Secretary of
Transportation as chairperson and six pubhc members
appointed for three year terms by the Governor with
Senate advice and consent (Code Transportation Ar
nde, sees 4-101 through 4-404)
Administrative, supply, engineering and finance
operations of the Authority are centralized at the
Francis Scott Key Bridge over Baltimore's outer
harbor

BRIDGES ADMINISTRATOR
Janet L Davis
563-7122

1 he Office of MdTA Administrator, Bridges
originated in 1975 as the Administrator of Toll
Ricihnes The tide was changed to Administrator,
Bridges in May 1985, and to MdTA Administrator,
Bridges in November 1987 The Administrator directs
and manages the collecnon, safeguarding, and disposi-
tion of tolls, control and movement of traffic; and the
physical maintenance of roads, structures, and facilities
of toll bridges and approaches
Francis Scott Key Bridge was opened to traffic in
Mircli of 1977 and connects Sellers Point in Bal-
timore County with Hawkins Point in Baltimore
City It also is the final link in the 52-mile Baltimore
Beltway (Interstate 695)
William Preston Lane,Jr, Memorial Bridge is one
of the longest over water steel structures in the world
It spans 4 35 miles of the Chesapeake Bay between
Sandy Point on the Western Shore to a point near
Stevensville on the Eastern Shore Traffic lanes be
twecn the suspension towers are 2,922-1/2 feet in
length and 198 1/2 feet above the Bay The Bndge
rises to a total heightof354 feet This span was opened
to traffic on July 30, 1952 At the request of the
General Assembly, the State Roads Commission in
1967 renamed die Chesapeake Bay Toll Bndge as the
William Preston Lane, Jr, Memonal Bndge (Joint
Resolution no 21, Acts of 1967)
In 1968, Bridge and Tunnel Revenue Bonds
were issued to construct a parallel bridge across the
Chesapeake Bay, a crossing of the Patapsco River
(Baltimore Outer Harbor) from Hawkins Point to
Sparrows Point, and a connection on die Harbor
Tunnel Thruway between U S Route 1 and Inter
state 95 near Elkndge On June 28, 1973, the
parallel Bay Bridge was opened to traffic Also
named the William Preston Lane, Jr, Memorial