Major changes are coming to the I-895 Baltimore Harbor Tunnel

BALTIMORE -- Changes are coming to the I-895 Baltimore Harbor Tunnel that could improve your drive.

The rush hour that happen in the area can be a pain, but MDTA says when they take down the last toll plaza, it will make your commute faster and safer.

The changes are expected to reduce crashes by 75%, according to MDTA.

They will remove the toll plaza and put in overhead gantries that will collect tolls electronically. 

The traditional tollbooths are causing major slowdowns and poses challenges for drivers as car and trucks merge into the lanes heading to the tunnel. 

Less idling also means less greenhouse gas emissions which will help the air quality in the nearby Brooklyn and Curtis Bay communities. 

MDTA will also replace two 70-year-old bridges in this area, marking the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel as one of the oldest facilities in the state.

"We need to make sure we can replace and invest instead of the band-aid approach, because really, just repair and repair and repair is a more expensive and more disruptive project," said Bruce Gartner, the Maryland Transportation Authority Executive Director. 

The MDTA is the one receiving an $80 million federal grant to make this project.

When it comes to the construction, after they have a contractor secured next year, then after that,  construction will go and last for three years.