The Key Bridge collapse caused traffic headaches. Here's the plan to alleviate congestion

BALTIMORE -- Maryland Transportation Authority has a solution to alleviate traffic congestion that has caused drivers headaches since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed on March 26.

"It takes me an extra 30 minutes to an hour to get to where I need to be now," said Essex resident Faith Martin.

Starting next week there will be changes, specifically on the northbound side of the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel at the toll plazas.

"The merges right before the tunnel become a little bit stressful for people," MDTA Executive Director Bruce Gartner said. "You have the folks going over to the far right lanes, the many lanes that are open and coming back in and merging at the last minute."

The MDTA on Monday will close off the middle toll lanes.

"(We want to) direct people to basically stay in the left-hand lanes to go through the toll booths into the tunnel and reserving the right lanes for those truck movements and for people exiting just past the toll booths on Childs Street," Gartner said.

As the cleanup continues in the Patapsco River, the MDTA plans to open a ramp that could alleviate traffic near the crash site in Baltimore County.

"We call it the 'turnaround,' Exit 44," Gartner said. "So, there is the ability to travel from the Baltimore County side of the Key Bridge towards Broening Highway and use a ramp under what is remaining of the Key Bridge to get onto Broening Highway."

The MDTA is hoping commercial vehicles will use this ramp. It will be open toll-free until the end of the month.

The MDTA will monitor the changes at the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel next week to see if they're working.

Transportation officials remind drivers to obey traffic laws and try to carpool or take public transit to help alleviate the traffic.