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Fort McHenry Tunnel

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description Fort McHenry Tunnel Overview

The Fort McHenry Tunnel is a massive underwater highway complex that carries Interstate 95 beneath the Baltimore Harbor in Maryland. Opened in 1985, the tunnel was specifically designed and routed to avoid disturbing the adjacent historic Fort McHenry national monument. Featuring eight traffic lanes housed within multiple submerged tubes, it remains one of the widest underwater vehicular tunnels in the world and serves as a vital route along the East Coast.

help Fort McHenry Tunnel FAQ

Why does I-95 go through the Fort McHenry Tunnel instead of over Baltimore Harbor?

The Fort McHenry Tunnel carries Interstate 95 beneath Baltimore Harbor rather than over it to avoid disrupting historic Fort McHenry and the surrounding waterfront. An elevated bridge or surface route would have threatened the nationally significant War of 1812 site where the Star-Spangled Banner was inspired.

How many lanes does the Fort McHenry Tunnel have?

The Fort McHenry Tunnel consists of two separate tube structures, each carrying four lanes of traffic for a total of eight lanes, making it one of the widest underwater highway tunnels in the world. It was opened in 1985 and remains a critical link on the I-95 corridor through Baltimore.

Is there a toll on the Fort McHenry Tunnel?

There is no toll on the Fort McHenry Tunnel itself; it is free to all traffic. However, tolls are collected on nearby Maryland facilities along the I-95 corridor, such as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway toll plaza north of Baltimore.

How deep underwater is the Fort McHenry Tunnel?

The Fort McHenry Tunnel descends to roughly 100 feet below the surface of the Patapsco River at its deepest point. The tunnel was constructed using immersed tube sections sunk into a dredged trench in the harbor bottom.

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