Baltimore Tunnel Closures: What Drivers Should Know for September 21–24

Vehicles approach the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel entrance.

Baltimore tunnel closures will affect overnight travel on both I-95 and I-895 this week. The Maryland Transportation Authority has separate maintenance schedules for the Fort McHenry Tunnel and Baltimore Harbor Tunnel, with different start times and traffic arrangements.

At the Fort McHenry Tunnel on I-95, MDTA schedules closures of southbound Bore 2 and northbound Bore 3—the left tube in each direction—from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. the following morning. That schedule applies each evening Monday, September 21, through Thursday, September 24. The advisory identifies those two bores, rather than announcing a shutdown of the entire crossing.

At the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel on I-895, Monday night’s work is scheduled to close the northbound tunnel at 9 p.m., with reopening at 3 a.m. Tuesday. During that closure, two-way traffic will use the southbound tunnel. One lane carries each direction through the tunnel that remains open.

The I-895 arrangement changes Tuesday through Thursday nights, September 22–24. The southbound tunnel is scheduled to close at 9 p.m. each evening, with two-way operations in the northbound tunnel. Reopening is scheduled for 3 a.m. the following morning.

MDTA says Harbor Tunnel drivers may encounter delays of 15–20 minutes while the two-way setup is implemented. Closure timing depends on traffic volumes. That estimate applies to the Harbor Tunnel operation; it is not a stated delay forecast for the Fort McHenry Tunnel.

Both advisories describe tentative schedules that can change because of weather, traffic, emergencies or higher-priority closures. Before an overnight trip, check MDTA’s current traffic advisories, allow time for the posted arrangement and follow lane signals. MDTA also reminds drivers to observe speed limits and stay in their lane.

These overnight maintenance windows are separate from the East-West transit construction that PowerPage covered earlier this month. The tunnel notices are the relevant updates for drivers planning a harbor crossing this week.