The main span is 225' long, with a vertical clearance of 65' and a horizontal clearance of 180' across the Intracoastal Waterway. The average span is 136 feet. The bridge was built in 25 months and opened to traffic five months ahead of schedule. It was the first major project undertaken by the newly formed Maryland State Highway Administration. The tower stands 556 feet high and the deck is 80 feet wide. The main span rests on four massive foundations, each one weighing more than 20,000 pounds. The main cables are made of steel with a diameter of only 6 inches, and they are held up by hundreds of small towers that stretch all over the bridge like tiny sticks on a giant lawnmower blade. The total weight of the bridge itself is about 740,000 pounds. There have been calls from some citizens for the removal of the Mid-Bay Bridge toll booths, but so far there has been no indication that this will happen. The state government has said that it would cost $10 million to $15 million to remove the toll booths; this money is not available right now because the state is still recovering from budget cuts made several years ago. In the meantime, drivers can use the Bay Bridge or Ocean View Bridge to get across the bay, but they cannot use both bridges in the same direction at the same time.