Monitor Ocean City Traffic in Real-Time
Access 150+ live traffic cameras covering Ocean City and the Eastern Shore corridor -- from the Bay Bridge approaches through US-50 and MD-90 to the Coastal Highway. Our interactive map provides real-time access to live street feeds and intersection cameras throughout the downtown boardwalk area and north-end resorts. Ocean City's barrier island geography funnels 8 million annual visitors through just two bridge crossings, making real-time camera monitoring essential for avoiding summer gridlock.
VIEW OCEAN CITY CAMERAS →Camera Coverage
US-50 Corridor
50+ Cameras
Harry W. Kelley Memorial Bridge, Salisbury Bypass, Cambridge, Easton, and the full Ocean Gateway from Bay Bridge to the beach
MD-90 Expressway
25+ Cameras
Route 90 bridge at 62nd Street, MD-589 junction, US-113 interchange, and the primary alternate entry to the island
Coastal Highway (MD-528)
40+ Cameras
Ocean City's main north-south arterial from the inlet to the Delaware border, 10 miles of resort traffic
Bay Bridge & Approaches
35+ Cameras
Chesapeake Bay Bridge spans, Kent Island, Annapolis approaches, and US-50/US-301 split
Features
Interactive Map
View all Ocean City area cameras on an interactive map with real-time clustering
Grid View
Browse cameras in a filterable grid with search and sort options
Save Favorites
Bookmark your go-to cameras for the Route 50 bridge and Coastal Highway
Live Updates
Real-time feeds from MDOT CHART and 511 Maryland systems
24/7 Access
Monitor traffic conditions any time of day or night
Mobile Friendly
Check conditions from the car or the beach on any device
About Ocean City Traffic
Ocean City sits on Fenwick Island, a narrow barrier island stretching 10 miles along Maryland's Atlantic coast from the Ocean City Inlet north to the Delaware border. The year-round population hovers around 7,000, but summer weekends swell the island to over 300,000 visitors -- a 40-fold increase that overwhelms an infrastructure designed for a small beach town. According to Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) data, a typical 30-mile commute from Salisbury to Ocean City that normally takes 45 minutes can extend to over 90 minutes during peak tourist periods.
Nearly all of those visitors arrive by car on one of two routes: US-50 across the Harry W. Kelley Memorial Bridge at the south end, or MD-90 across the Route 90 bridge at 62nd Street. This funneling effect creates some of the most predictable and severe seasonal congestion on the East Coast. According to MDOT SHA traffic counts, the Harry W. Kelley Memorial Bridge processes an average of 21,491 vehicles daily and features an active drawbridge span that opens more than 1,600 times per year.
Research from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) indicates that access to real-time traveler information systems can reduce incident-related delays by as much as 40%, making live camera feeds an essential tool for navigating seasonal chokepoints like the Ocean City bridge crossings.
Each opening halts all vehicle traffic on US-50, compounding delays during peak periods. MD-90, the newer two-lane expressway entering Ocean City at 62nd Street, provides an alternate route but backs up for miles on summer Fridays and Saturdays. Safety remains a priority for Maryland State Police; real-time monitoring via the CHART system is critical for identifying and responding to incidents in these high-volume corridors.
Summer weekend population surges from 7,000 to over 300,000. All visitors funnel through just two bridge crossings -- US-50 and MD-90. Always check cameras before heading to or leaving the beach.
Once on the island, traffic concentrates on a single north-south road: Maryland Route 528, known as Coastal Highway. This divided highway carries three travel lanes plus a bus/bike/right-turn lane in each direction, serving as the only through road from the downtown boardwalk area to the Delaware state line. With 97% of the island developed -- hotels, restaurants, shops, and condos stacked along both sides -- Coastal Highway handles enormous volumes during peak season, and pedestrian crossings add frequent interruptions to traffic flow.
Ocean City Street Cameras vs. Traffic Cameras
While often used interchangeably, Ocean City street cameras and traffic cameras serve the same primary purpose for commuters: real-time situational awareness. Whether you are searching for "street cameras in Ocean City" or "official DOT traffic cams," our platform provides access to the same high-quality, 24/7 feeds from official sources. Monitoring these street-level views allows you to verify weather conditions, spot accidents, and navigate around surface street congestion.
Key Routes
US-50: Bay Bridge to Ocean City
- US-50/US-301 Bay Bridge — Chesapeake Bay crossing, toll plaza, summer delays of 2+ hours
- US-50 Kent Narrows — Drawbridge, restaurant district, nautical traffic delays
- US-50 Easton — Largest Eastern Shore town, local traffic merge
- US-50 Cambridge — Choptank River Bridge, southern route junction
- US-50 Salisbury Bypass — US-13 junction, Delmarva corridor
- US-50/MD-611 Split — Assateague Island access point
- US-50 Ocean City — Harry W. Kelley Memorial Bridge, drawbridge crossing to island
MD-90: Alternate Island Access
- US-50/MD-90 Junction — Split west of Ocean City near US-113
- MD-90/MD-589 — Racetrack Road intersection, major backup point
- MD-90 Bridge — Route 90 bridge crossing to island at 62nd Street
- MD-528 Junction — Merge onto Coastal Highway
Check Ocean City Traffic Before You Leave
See real-time conditions on US-50, MD-90, the Route 50 bridge, and Coastal Highway before your beach trip.
VIEW OCEAN CITY CAMERAS →Seasonal Traffic Patterns
Ocean City traffic follows extremely predictable seasonal patterns driven almost entirely by beach tourism from the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area, with increasing volumes from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York.
Peak Season (Memorial Day through Labor Day):
- Friday afternoons bring the heaviest eastbound traffic as weekend visitors depart Baltimore and Washington. US-50 congestion typically builds from 11 AM, peaking between 2-6 PM. MD-90 eastbound queues begin forming by early afternoon.
- Saturday mornings see heavy eastbound traffic from weekly rental changeover check-ins, with MD-90 backups exceeding seven miles by mid-morning.
- Sunday afternoons produce the worst westbound traffic as visitors return home. US-50 westbound from Ocean City through Kent Island to the Bay Bridge becomes a single corridor of stop-and-go traffic from 1-8 PM.
- Holiday weekends (Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day) amplify all patterns, with delays doubling or tripling compared to typical summer weekends.
Shoulder Season (April-May, September-October): Weekend traffic is moderate. Spring car shows, fishing tournaments, and fall events like Endless Summer Cruisin' and Sunfest can create localized congestion, particularly on Coastal Highway and at island entry points.
Off-Season (November through March): Minimal traffic. The Route 50 bridge drawbridge openings may still cause brief delays. Winter storms occasionally affect the US-50 corridor through the flat, exposed Eastern Shore landscape.
The Harry W. Kelley Memorial Bridge drawbridge opens more than 1,600 times per year for boat traffic. Each opening halts all US-50 vehicle traffic for 5-15 minutes. During peak summer weekends, drawbridge openings compound existing congestion and can add 30+ minutes to your crossing time.
Coastal Highway Traffic
Coastal Highway (MD-528) runs the full 10-mile length of the island and is the only north-south through road. Summer traffic on Coastal Highway is notoriously slow, with frequent stops for pedestrian crossings, turning vehicles accessing hotels and restaurants, and sheer volume. Users can also monitor live street feeds along Coastal Highway and Baltimore Avenue to check for road-level gridlock near the major hotels or festival sites.
Key intersections and areas:
- Inlet area (south end): Boardwalk access, downtown district, highest pedestrian density
- 33rd Street: Convention center area, major hotel cluster
- 62nd Street: MD-90 merge point, heaviest mid-island traffic
- 94th Street: Gold Coast Mall area, commercial district
- 118th Street: Northern hotel and condo district
- 146th Street: Northernmost commercial area near Delaware border
Navigating Coastal Highway
Avoid driving Coastal Highway during peak beach hours (10 AM - 4 PM) in summer. The Ocean City bus system runs the full length of the island and is often faster than driving. If you must drive, use the right lane only for right turns -- through traffic should stay in the center and left lanes. Plan extra time for pedestrian crossing delays, especially south of 62nd Street.
Getting to Ocean City
Most Ocean City visitors originate from the Baltimore-Washington corridor, making the Bay Bridge crossing the first major bottleneck. The complete drive from Washington DC to Ocean City covers roughly 145 miles via US-50 and takes about 2.5 hours in light traffic -- but 4-6 hours on summer Friday afternoons.
Plan Your Beach Route with Live Cameras
Build a custom route from your location to Ocean City and monitor every camera along the way.
BUILD YOUR ROUTE →From Baltimore (150 miles, 2.5-3 hours light traffic): Take I-97 South to US-50 East across the Bay Bridge and through the Eastern Shore to Ocean City. The Bay Bridge and US-50 corridor have extensive camera coverage.
From Washington DC (145 miles, 2.5-3 hours light traffic): Take US-50 East from the Capital Beltway (I-495) through Annapolis, across the Bay Bridge, and through the Eastern Shore. Friday afternoon travel times can exceed 5 hours.
From Philadelphia (170 miles, 3 hours light traffic): Take I-95 South to MD-1/US-301 South, or continue on I-95 to DE-1 South through Delaware beaches to MD-528 into Ocean City from the north -- avoiding the Bay Bridge entirely.
From Northern Virginia/Fredericksburg: Take US-301 North to US-50 East, or use US-13 South through the Delmarva Peninsula to reach Ocean City from the south via US-50.
Bay Bridge alternative: Visitors from Philadelphia, New Jersey, and northern Delaware can avoid the Bay Bridge entirely by taking DE-1 South through the Delaware beaches and entering Ocean City from the north via MD-528 (Coastal Highway). This route bypasses all Bay Bridge congestion.
Weather Impacts
Ocean City's exposed barrier island location makes it vulnerable to weather events that affect both travel conditions and the island itself.
Summer thunderstorms build quickly over the Eastern Shore and can reduce visibility on US-50 and MD-90 to near zero. The flat, open terrain offers no shelter, and standing water accumulates rapidly on low-lying sections. These storms typically pass within 30-60 minutes but can create temporary traffic chaos on Coastal Highway as beach crowds seek shelter simultaneously.
Nor'easters and coastal storms bring high winds, heavy rain, and storm surge that can flood low-lying sections of Coastal Highway, particularly near the inlet and at mid-island bay-side areas. Storm surge during significant events can make the Route 50 bridge and Route 90 bridge impassable.
Fog is common during spring and fall mornings when ocean temperatures differ from air temperatures. Dense fog reduces visibility on the bridges and Coastal Highway, slowing traffic even when volumes are light.
Hurricane season (June through November) poses the most serious threat. Ocean City sits at an elevation of just 4-7 feet above sea level, and mandatory evacuations are ordered for major storms. Evacuation routes follow US-50 West and MD-90 West to the mainland, then US-50 continues west toward the Bay Bridge and I-95. Monitor cameras during tropical weather for real-time evacuation conditions.
Monitor Weather-Related Traffic Conditions
Check cameras across the entire US-50 corridor for weather impacts, flooding, and real-time visibility conditions.
VIEW CAMERAS NOW →Events and Special Traffic
Ocean City hosts numerous events that create concentrated traffic impacts beyond normal seasonal patterns:
- Cruisin' Ocean City (May): Classic car show draws tens of thousands to the Convention Center and Inlet area
- OC Air Show (June): Aerobatic performances over the beach create heavy Coastal Highway congestion near the staging area
- July 4th fireworks: One of the heaviest single-day traffic events of the year
- Endless Summer Cruisin' (October): Major car show attracting visitors during shoulder season
- Sunfest (September/October): Arts festival on the Inlet with significant south-end traffic impacts
During major events, Coastal Highway traffic can rival peak summer conditions even during shoulder season. The town frequently implements special parking zones and traffic control measures that alter normal traffic patterns.
About the Platform
TrafficVision.Live provides free access to 150+ live cameras covering Ocean City and the Eastern Shore corridor, aggregating feeds from MDOT SHA's CHART system and Maryland 511. These cameras are part of the world's largest traffic camera directory with 135,000+ live feeds from 600+ sources across 130+ countries.
Our platform features an interactive map for locating cameras along your route, a grid view for scanning multiple feeds simultaneously, custom route building with camera waypoints, and favorites management for quick access to your most-used cameras. Build a custom route from your home to Ocean City and monitor every camera along the way.
Related Guides
- Bay Bridge Maryland Traffic Cameras -- Complete Bay Bridge corridor coverage
- Maryland Traffic Cameras -- Statewide coverage including I-95, I-270, I-695
- Baltimore Traffic Cameras -- Baltimore metro area monitoring
- Delaware Traffic Cameras -- DE-1 corridor and Delaware beaches
- Washington DC Traffic Cameras -- Capital Beltway and District routes
How many traffic cameras are near Ocean City, Maryland?
TrafficVision.Live provides access to 150+ cameras covering Ocean City and the Eastern Shore corridor, including US-50, MD-90, Coastal Highway (MD-528), and the Bay Bridge approaches. Cameras are operated by MDOT SHA through the CHART system.
How often do Ocean City traffic cameras update?
Most MDOT cameras refresh every 2-5 seconds during active traffic periods. During peak summer weekends, camera coverage provides near real-time conditions across all major routes to and through Ocean City.
What are the two ways to drive onto Ocean City island?
US-50 crosses the Harry W. Kelley Memorial Bridge (Route 50 bridge) at the south end of the island, and MD-90 crosses the Route 90 bridge at 62nd Street. These are the only two vehicular access points to the barrier island.
When is Ocean City traffic worst?
Summer Friday afternoons (2-6 PM eastbound) and Sunday afternoons (1-8 PM westbound) see the heaviest traffic. Holiday weekends -- Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day -- are the worst individual weekends. MD-90 eastbound backups can extend over seven miles on summer Saturdays.
Can I avoid Bay Bridge traffic when driving to Ocean City?
Visitors from Philadelphia, New Jersey, or northern Delaware can take DE-1 South through the Delaware beaches and enter Ocean City from the north via Coastal Highway (MD-528), completely bypassing the Bay Bridge. From the Baltimore-Washington area, departing before 11 AM or after 8 PM on Fridays significantly reduces Bay Bridge delays.
Where can I find Ocean City street feeds?
You can find live Ocean City street feeds and intersection cameras by using our interactive map, which aggregates MDOT data for major surface routes like Coastal Highway and Philadelphia Avenue.
Ready to Check Ocean City Traffic?
Access 150+ live cameras and city street feeds covering US-50, MD-90, and the Coastal Highway. Check conditions and city street feeds instantly — free 24/7.
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