Nice-Middleton Bridge

The MDTA’s new Nice-Middleton Bridge carries Route 301 high across the Potomac River, connecting Charles County, Md., to King George County, Va. The $463 Million design-build project was constructed by Skanska-Corman-McLean – Harry Nice Bridge JV and designed by AECOM.

Because of the bridge’s geometry, a steel superstructure was chosen for the bridge’s three navigational spans, which are 920 feet in total length. The 250-foot-wide main channel provides tall ships with a maximum clearance of 135 feet.

High Steel fabricated 2,300 tons of structural steel for the project. The I-girders were transported to the site by heavy-hauler High Transit, where they were offloaded onto barges for erection. The largest girders are 12'4" tall, 112 feet long, and weigh 55 tons each. The bridge opened in October 2022 and doubles the capacity of the 82-year-old span it replaced, improving safety and reducing traffic congestion. All the steel from the old bridge is being recycled, and 9,500 tons of other materials from its demolition will be used in an artificial reef in the Chesapeake Bay.