Soon, fears surfaced online that hazmat trucks are now using Baltimore’s underwater tunnels instead, despite state law largely prohibiting them from doing so.
From a parking lot wedged between the two tunnels, The Baltimore Banner sought answers. Over several hours, Banner journalists observed 40 tanker trucks going through the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel, including more than a dozen with hazmat placards typically prohibited from driving through the underpasses.
The truckers carrying hazardous materials are making a simple calculation, long-haul drivers and industry experts say: Take a 35-mile detour through the increasingly congested Interstate 695 beltway and lose money, or take the tunnels.
