Fort McHenry Tunnel
Southbound tunnel, Bore 2 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Location | Baltimore Harbor |
| Coordinates | 39°15′39.2″N 76°34′36.3″W / 39.260889°N 76.576750°W |
| Route | I-95 |
| Start | Locust Point |
| End | Canton |
| Operation | |
| Constructed | 1980–1985 |
| Opened | November 23, 1985 |
| Owner | Maryland Transportation Authority |
| Traffic | Automotive |
| Character | Highway |
| Toll | Passenger cars: $3 Maryland E-ZPass $4 non-Maryland E-ZPass $6 Video toll |
| Vehicles per day | 115,000 |
| Technical | |
| Length | 1.5 miles (2.4 km) |
| No. of lanes | 8 |
| Operating speed | 55 miles per hour (89 km/h) |
| Lowest elevation | 107 feet (33 m) below harbor water surface |
| Tunnel clearance | 13.6 feet (4.1 m) |
| Width | 26 feet (7.9 m) |
| Route map | |
The Fort McHenry Tunnel is a four-tube, bi-directional tunnel that carries traffic on Interstate 95 (I-95) underneath the Baltimore Harbor. Named for nearby Fort McHenry, the tunnel is the lowest point in the Interstate Highway System under water.
Construction began in May 1980; the tunnel opened on November 23, 1985. Having consumed some $750 million (equivalent to $2.2 billion in 2024), it was the most expensive Interstate project until surpassed by the Big Dig in Boston. As of 2009, it was used by 43.4 million vehicles annually.
Tolls are collected in both directions. The toll for cars is $3 with a Maryland E-ZPass and $4 with another state's E-ZPass. Vehicles without an E-ZPass pay more, as do those with more than two axles—up to $45 for a 6+ axle vehicle without an E-ZPass. All-electronic tolling using E-ZPass or toll-by-plate started in March 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and was made permanent in August 2020. A project to demolish the toll plaza and replace it with overhead gantries for open road tolling started in 2022.