The William Preston Lane, Jr. Memorial Bridge, commonly called the Bay Bridge, spans the Chesapeake Bay between Sandy Point and Stevensville and stretches more than 4 miles above water. Construction on the eastbound span began in 1949, and after 25 years the westbound span was completed in June 1973 at a total cost of $193 million. The bridge's opening signaled the decline of the western shore beach communities as vacationers took advantage of easier access to the Atlantic Ocean.