Baltimore bridge collapse sparks propane travel questions across U.S. tunnel and bridge network. Know where your RV can (and can’t) go

The loss of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge has created a major traffic issue for RVers. The Key Bridge was the only allowable route for RVs across the Patapsco River, as the alternatives, tunnels, prohibit LP gas. It leads back to a question we’ve been asked before. Just what tunnels restrict RV propane transport and why?

The nature of the gas

There are tunnels all over the U.S. and Canada, and not all of them restrict propane. Why the difference? It’s the nature of the gas itself. Propane is heavier than air, and when it gets loose, it settles down to ground level. Some tunnels are designed in such a way that there is a dip point inside the tunnel. Should there be a propane leak or a catastrophic discharge, the propane could settle in that low spot and create an explosive hazard.

Which brings up another point: Tunnels aren’t the only place where RVers may find propane transport restricted, or banned outright. While not near as common as tunnel travel, taking your RV onto a ferry could be in your travel future. Parking decks for vehicles are often above open bilges. Leaking propane dropping down into a bilge could provide fireworks you don’t want to experience.

Get authoritative information

So where do you learn about what tunnels restrict RV propane transport? There are countless posts on social media from well-meaning RVers. But like a lot of other information “on the web,” the information may not always be correct. We’ve done our best to gather information from what we believe are authoritative and trustworthy sources.

We’re including that information here, but with this warning: The final authority is the official agency or organization that controls a given highway or ferry. When planning a route, if there’s a tunnel or ferry you plan to use and the information isn’t shown here, use your head. Contact the authority before you get there.

UNITED STATES

Maryland
Propane in excess of 10 pounds per container is prohibited in tunnels, including I-95 tunnels of Baltimore Harbor and Fort McHenry. While the alternate route for RVs with propane was over the Francis Scott Key Bridge on I-695, that’s out for an unknown time. You’ll need to travel north around Baltimore via the Baltimore Beltway (I-695). Click here for more.

Massachusetts
Propane is prohibited:

• In Boston Harbor and in tunnels between Boston and East Boston
• The Sumner and Callahan tunnels
• The Prudential and Dewey Square tunnels

New Jersey
Propane is prohibited:

• In the Holland Tunnel between Manhattan and Jersey City
• On the lower level of the George Washington Bridge Expressway (I-95 South) between Manhattan and Fort Lee
• In the Lincoln Tunnel between Manhattan and Weehawken

Note—New Jersey law prohibits open propane valves while traveling on open highways.

New York
Aside from what is noted above for New Jersey to New York highways, propane is prohibited:

• Between Manhattan and Brooklyn on the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel
• Between Manhattan and Queens on the Queens Midtown Tunnel

Texas
Propane is restricted:

• In the Washburn Tunnel between Pasadena and Galena Park on the Houston Ship Channel. A maximum of two 7 1/2 gallon containers (30 pounds gas each) or one 10-gallon container (40 pounds of gas) of DOT (ICC) approved type, with shutoff valve at discharge opening. The valve must be closed when in the tunnel. LP gas as a vehicle fuel is prohibited.

Virginia 
Propane is restricted:

In the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, in the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, and in the Norfolk-Portsmouth Tunnel. Restrictions for these tunnels include:

• Propane tanks/cylinders may not exceed two 45-pound capacity tanks or,
• Two permanently mounted containers with a maximum total capacity of 200 pounds.
• Tanks must be completely shut off and securely attached.

What tunnels restrict RV propane transport? Check here.

When preparing for a road trip, we found traveler support group AAA to be a good source of information. Click here to see their information on propane restrictions. But like anything else, things can change. If in doubt, double-check with local authorities.

Beware the social media “advisors”

As an additional note, beware of “advice” given on social media sites. We’ve found more than one comment from posters who’ve bragged about how often they’ve taken their RVs through a tunnel in violation of propane regulations. Of course, “never been stopped,” “nothing happened,” and “no big deal” attitudes are often conveyed.

We’re not sure if any of this sort of thinking went through the mind of an RVer in Quebec back in 2014. Driving his motorhome through the Lafontaine Tunnel, he had the unfortunate experience of his rig catching fire. When all was all said and done, the fire in the tunnel wiped out electrical and lighting systems over a distance of nearly four city blocks.

Investigators found he’d been carrying about 57 gallons of propane, between his motorhome LP tank and two other containers that were with him. The legal limit in the tunnel? No more than two total containers, at a little over 12 gallons each.

The immeasurable frustration level was experienced by drivers, who were shut out of the tunnel for months during repairs is one thing. The RVer was sent the bill for repairs, to the tune of $194,000. That’s nearly $250,000 today, when accounting for inflation. That doesn’t take into account just what kind of fines they paid for violating the transport law.

“Nothing happened.” “Never been stopped.” “No big deal.” Better to know what tunnels restrict RV propane transport before you get to them.

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