In 2022, the Maryland Transportation Authority (MdTA) contractor Kokosing-McLean Joint Venture entered discussions with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to use a portion of Love Point State Park property to cast and store concrete road deck panels to be transported via barge to the Bay Bridge for a redecking project. The Department of Natural Resources’ interest in considering this arrangement was to have the contractor, upon completion of their temporary use of the site, make improvements to the Love Point site, specifically replacing part of a deteriorated bulkhead and conducting environmental restoration on upland portions of the property. Preliminary approvals and State and Federal permits were secured with more pending.
In early January, the department posted information related to upcoming approval processes for public view and comment, and also scheduled an information meeting specific to Love Point State Park that was held February 2023.
While negotiations continued, some aspects of the contractor’s project and the department’s requirements could not be fully aligned.
On March 20, 2023, after further discussion with the contractor, the Department of Natural Resources informed Kokosing officials that their proposed use of Love Point will not move forward.
The Department of Natural Resources remains committed to completing necessary upgrades along the southern shoreline at Love Point State Park in the near future.
Questions from the public can be directed to Lester Wright, Deputy Director of Maryland DNR Engineering and Construction at
lester.wright@maryland.gov.
Questions regarding the Bay Bridge redecking project should be directed to
MdTA.
