Page 46 - Port of Baltimore - May/June 2017

PORT VIEW 1938 | CHESAPEAKE & DELAWARE CANAL
STORY BY KATHY BERGREN SMITH
The C&D Canal: A Model of Efficiency
The C&D Canal provides marine traffic with a vital shortcut between the
Port of Baltimore and Philadelphia and points north. The 14-mile sea-level canal connects the upper Chesapeake Bay with the Delaware River. Ships leaving Baltimore can avoid traveling down the
bay and up the Atlantic coast, saving time and remaining off the ocean. The canal was built in 1829 and ultimately expanded to today’s 450-foot width with a depth of 35 feet. The traffic
on the canal is controlled by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
There are six crossings along the canal, including the Chesapeake City
bridge. Aubrey Bodine captured the S.S. Jean passing Chesapeake City in 1938. Four years after this photo was taken, this at-grade lift bridge was struck by an oil tanker and toppled into the canal. Today, vehicular traffic crosses on a high, fixed bridge.
About 40 percent of all Port of Baltimore traffic uses the canal. 􏰀
This image is from the archive of A. Aubrey Bodine (1906–1970). During his nearly 50-year career as a Baltimore Sun photographer, Bodine captured the city with an artist’s eye. His fine art work is known worldwide. Bodine’s work is available for viewing, and prints and books may be purchased at www.aaubreybodine.com.
[44] The Port of Baltimore ■ May/June 2017