Route 404

Multi state route 404 forms the primary route from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge (U.S. 50-301) to the Delaware Beaches. Measuring 24.61 miles through Talbot and Caroline Counties, MD 404 leads east from Wye Mills and U.S. 50 to Queen Anne, Hillsboro and Denton. Delaware Route 404 extends the route southeast to Bridgeville.

Increasing traffic demands during the Summer tourist season fueled a $158 million project to upgrade MD 404 from two to four lanes between U.S. 50 and the Denton Bypass. The 11.3 mile stretch fully opened to traffic following a ribbon cutting ceremony held on November 20, 2017. Construction started on the divided highway in June 2015.¹

East

MD 404 (Shore Highway) eastbound splits with MD 404 Business (Meeting House Road) for the expressway bypass encircling Denton. MD 404 Business follows the former alignment of MD 404 through West Denton and the couplet of Gay and Franklin Streets through central Denton. 04/13/04

Advancing east, MD 404 (Shore Highway) approaches MD 328 (River Road) west. MD 328 travels 15.24 miles southwest to U.S. 50 and the city of Easton. 04/13/04

River Road extends 4.4 miles north from the end of MD 328 at MD 404 (Shore Highway) to Boonsboro and MD 480 (Ridgely Road). 04/13/04

MD 404 eastbound crosses the Choptank River ahead of the diamond interchange with MD 313 (Greensboro Road) north and MD 619 (N. 6th Street) south. 04/13/04

MD 313 joins MD 404 along the Denton bypass between N. 6th Street and MD 404 Business (Gay Street). MD 619 follows the former alignment south to MD 404 Business along Franklin and Gay Streets. 04/13/04

Guide sign preceding the N. 6th Street off-ramp for MD 313 north. MD 313 overlaps with MD 404 southward 5.9 miles to Andersontown. 04/13/04

MD 313 (Greensboro Road) travels 6.3 miles north from MD 404 to Greensboro and MD 314 (Whiteleysburg Road). 04/13/04

MD 619 (6th Street) originates at 5th Avenue, 1.09 miles to the south within the Denton residential street grid. 04/13/04

Like MD 213, MD 313 is a lengthy route serving the Eastern Shore of Maryland away from the U.S. 50 and 301 corridors. 04/13/04

East

MD 16 joins MD 404 for 3.2 miles from Harmony Road to Greenwood Road in eastern Caroline County. Pictured here are confirming markers for the overlap posted beyond their separation with MD 313 (Federalsburg Highway) south. 04/13/04

The distance sign posted east of MD 313 outlines the route of MSR 404 east to U.S. 13 at Bridgeville and SR 1 at Five Points. 04/13/04

MD 16 branches eastward from MD 404 (Shore Highway) along Greenwood Road. Continuing into Sussex County as SR 16, the multi state route continues ten miles east to Greenwood. 04/13/04

A set of flashers operate at the rural split of MD 16/404 east. Providing a cutoff to MD 313 (Federalsburg Highway), Becks Road ties into the intersection from the southwest. 04/13/04

MD 404 (Shore Highway) extends another 3.18 miles southeast to the Delaware state line. MD 16 crosses into SR 2.50 miles to the east at Hickman. 04/13/04

East

The final eastbound reassurance marker for MD 404 stands along Shore Highway beyond MD 16 and Becks Road. 01/15/17

Bridgeville, Delaware centered around the intersection of SR 404 Business and U.S. 13 Business, lies 11 miles to the southeast. This distance sign predates the relocation of SR 404 around Bridgeville; SR 404 combines with U.S. 13 south in 11.2 miles. 01/15/17

Shore Highway traverses a mixture of farm and forestland along the final stretch through Caroline County, Maryland. 01/15/17

The headlight restriction along MD 404 remains in place due to the high volumes of traffic during the Summer months. 01/15/17

Milepost 24.5 for MD 404 appears between Noble Road and the Delaware state line. 01/15/17

MD 404 becomes SR 404 at a rural area ahead of Adams Crossroads. 01/15/17

West

MD 16/404 commence a 3.2 mile overlap westbound along Shore Highway. 04/13/04

Denton lies six miles to the northwest along MD 404. MD 313 combines with the state route in 0.9 miles from Federalsburg. 04/13/04

Curving northwest toward Andersontown, MD 16/404 (Shore Highway) approach MD 313 (Federalsburg Highway) south. 04/13/04

The town of Federalsburg lies ten miles to the south via MD 313 in southeastern Caroline County. 04/13/04

Northbound MD 313 combines with MD 16/404 (Shore Highway) west for 2.28 miles. 04/13/04

North West

MD 16/313/404 (Shore Highway) advance west through the rural settlement of Andersontown after Federalsburg Highway. 04/13/04

Distance sign posted ahead of Andersontown Road. MD 404 is the main route between the Delaware beaches and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge west of Queenstown. Most guide signs along the Eastern Shore direct motorists to the Bay Bridge by way of U.S. 50, U.S. 301, or MD 404. 04/13/04

MD 16 (Harmony Road) branches southwest from Shore Highway to Harmony, Preston and Bethlehem. MD 313 north / MD 404 west continue northwest two miles into Denton. 04/13/04

Double Hills Road, the historic alignment of MD 313/404 across Watts Creek, ties into the signalized intersection with MD 16 (Harmony Road) from the north. 04/13/04

North West

Continuing north from MD 16, MD 313/404 cross Watts Creek and reach the Denton town limits in 0.75 miles. 04/13/04

MD 404/313 circle around Denton along a four mile long expressway. Gay Street (MD 404 Business) partitions with the highway northwest to Downtown. 04/13/04

The expressway portion of the Denton Bypass leads MD 313 north / MD 404 west from Gay Street (MD 404 Business) to N 6th Street. 04/13/04

MD 313 leaves the Denton Bypass one mile north of the Market Street underpass. 04/13/04

A diamond interchange joins MD 404 with MD 313 (Greensboro Road) north and MD 619 (6th Street) south to Downtown Denton. MD 619 follows old MD 313 south 1.09 miles to 5th Avenue. 04/13/04

Camp Road spans the Denton Bypass at the MD 313 off-ramp to Greensboro Road. MD 313 parallels the Choptank River 5.8 miles north to the town of Greensboro. MD 404 proceeds west across the river to West Denton. 04/13/04

West

Advancing across the Choptank River, MD 404 (Denton Bypass) next meets MD 328 (River Road) west to Easton. 04/13/04

MD 328 travels 15 miles southwest from MD 404 and West Denton to U.S. 50 at the Talbot County seat of Easton. 04/13/04

River Road runs north from the Denton Bypass signal with MD 328 to MD 480 at Boonsboro. 04/13/04

The Denton Bypass converges with MD 404 Business (Meeting House Road) at a signalized intersection beyond West Denton in one half mile. 04/13/04

MD 404 continues 3.5 miles west from MD 404 Business at West Denton to a second business loop through both Hillsboro and Queen Anne. 04/13/04

Confirming marker posted beyond the west end of MD 404 and Ridgely Road by the town of Hillsboro. 12/27/22

The community of Wye Mills lies 7.8 miles west of MD 480 at MD 662 and the end of MD 404. 12/27/22

Tuckahoe Creek separates Caroline and Queen Annes County across MD 404 (Shore Highway). 12/27/22

MD 309 (Starr Road) turns northwest from Cordova Road to meet MD 404 at the succeeding signal westbound. 12/27/22

MD 303 stems south from MD 309 (Starr Road) along Main Street into the town of Queen Anne's. 12/27/22

MD 309 (Starr Road) angles northwest 8.7 miles to MD 213 south of Centreville. 12/27/22

MD 404 proceeds 5.6 miles west from MD 309 (Starr Road) to U.S. 50 (Ocean Gateway). 12/27/22

MD 404 (Shore Highway) crosses Norwich Creek beyond this reassurance marker westbound. 12/27/22

Old Queen Anne Road (old MD 404) converges with MD 404 (Shore Highway) just west of Norwich Creek. 12/27/22

MD 404 (Queen Annes Highway) straddles the Talbot and Queen Anne's County line west from Old Queen Road to U.S. 50. 12/27/22

An R-CUT intersection connects MD 404 with Old Queen Anne Road. Old Queen Anne Road leads 0.87 miles east to MD 404 ALT (Millsboro Denton Road) at MD 309 (Cordova Road). 12/27/22

Connolly Road stems 3.13 miles south from MD 404 to MD 309 (Cordova Road) and Dukes Bridge Road at the village of Cordova. 12/27/22

The R-CUT intersection with Connolly Road lies adjacent to agricultural areas along MD 404. 12/27/22

J-turns join MD 404 with Fox Meadow Road north and Church Lane south at the ensuing intersection westbound. 12/27/22

A U-turn connects Fox Meadow Road south from MD 309 (Starr Road) with MD 404 east. 12/27/22

Willoughby Cannery Road is a local road spurring 0.31 miles north to adjacent farmland. 12/27/22

Dulin Road angles southwest 1.47 miles from MD 404 (Queen Annes Highway) to Newtown Road. 12/27/22

A U-turn follows Bartlett Farm Lane along westbound MD 404. 12/27/22

Owens Road south ties into MD 404 (Queen Annes Highway) across from Newtown Road at the succeeding intersection. 12/27/22

MD 404 west meets U.S. 50 (Ocean Gateway) at a rural intersection near the unincorporated community of Wye Mills. 12/27/22

U.S. 50 is a four lane, divided highway traveling south to Easton, Cambridge and Salisbury. 12/27/22

Circumventing Wye Mills, U.S. 50 arcs northwest from MD 404 to U.S. 301 near Queenstown en route to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. 12/27/22

Photo Credits:

04/13/04, 01/15/17, 12/27/22 by AARoads

Connect with:
U.S. 50
State Route 404
Route 16
Route 312
Route 313
Route 480
Route 662

Page Updated 01-12-2023.