The Route 50 Bridge — officially the Harry W. Kelley Memorial Bridge — is the bascule drawbridge carrying US-50 over Sinepuxent Bay into downtown Ocean City, Maryland. It is the main way onto the south end of the island, and when it lifts for a passing boat, Ocean Gateway backs up fast in both directions.
Opened in 1942 and later named for longtime Ocean City mayor Harry W. Kelley, the bridge replaced earlier crossings to the barrier island and remains the primary southern gateway to the boardwalk, the Inlet and the downtown beaches. As a bascule span, its leaves lift to let vessels pass between Sinepuxent Bay and the Atlantic.
| When | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Summer season (May 25 – Sep 15) | Opens at :25 and :55 past the hour, 9:25 AM to 9:55 PM |
| Saturdays 1–5 PM | Opens on the hour for waiting vessels |
| Off-season & overnight | Opens on signal with advance notice to the bridge tender |
| Live status | Shown in real time inside the app, with AI camera monitoring |
Schedules and rush-hour restrictions can change seasonally and by Coast Guard regulation. TheBridge shows the current status and recent opening history in real time — always the most reliable source.
TheBridge app shows the live status of the Route 50 Bridge in Ocean City, MD in real time. Open the app to see whether the bridge is currently open to boats or open to road traffic, and turn on push alerts so you're notified the moment it changes.
The Route 50 Bridge (bascule (drawbridge)) on US-50 (Ocean Gateway) opens for vessels on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. Exact opening times and any rush-hour restrictions can change seasonally — TheBridge shows the current status and recent opening history so you never rely on a stale schedule.
Enable notifications in TheBridge and you'll get an instant push alert when the Route 50 Bridge opens or closes — so you can leave a few minutes early or take another route.
No. TheBridge is free to download on the App Store and Google Play. Track the Route 50 Bridge and other coastal drawbridges, see live status, and get alerts at no cost.
Download TheBridge free and get an instant alert every time the Route 50 Bridge opens.
