| The massive reconstruction of the Interstate 95-495/Interstate 295 interchange is readily visible from this vantage point along northbound Interstate 95/eastbound Interstate 495/Capital Beltway Outer Loop. Once this interchange is complete, motorists will have a direct connection to the new Wilson Bridge. In addition, the new interchange will allow for additional traffic flow on the transition ramps and future ramps for high occupancy vehicle connections. Photo taken 06/07/04. |
| The next exit along the outer loop is Exit 3A, Junction Maryland 210/Indian Head Highway south to Indian Head in Charles County and north to Forest Heights and the District of Columbia. Photo taken 06/07/04. |
| A temporary construction sign, visible to through traffic along the outer loop and along the transition ramp from the outer loop to Maryland 210 south, is placed on the side of the freeway along northbound Interstate 95/eastbound Interstate 495. Photo taken 06/01/04. |
| Maryland 210 is a major corridor, linking Indian Head in the south with Forest Heights and the District of Columbia boundary. Indian Head Highway turns into Capitol Street, which heads north over the Frederick Douglass Bridge into downtown Washington. Photo taken 06/01/04. |
| This Interstate 95-495 (Outer Loop) shield assembly is located immediately after the exit ramp to Exit 3A, Junction Maryland 210 south. Both Interstates 95 and 495 are well-signed along their combined route across the eastern half of the Capital Beltway. Note the "Welcome to Maryland" sign (yellow, white, and black) to the right of the merge sign. Photo taken 06/01/04. |
| Northbound Interstate 95-495/Capital Beltway Outer Loop reaches Exit 3B, Northbound Maryland 210/Indian Head Highway to Forest Heights and Capitol Street. The next exit along the outer loop is Exits 4A-B, Junction Maryland 414/St. Barnabas Road. Photo taken 06/01/04. |
| This sign, erected in the days since the events of September 11, 2001, indicates that no stopping is permitted along Interstate 95-495/Capital Beltway. Also note the use of the Capital Beltway shield, which is not especially common along the route. Photo taken 06/01/04. |
| This mileage sign provides the distance to two major freeway interchanges, Junction Interstate 595 (unsigned) and U.S. 50 to Annapolis and Junction Baltimore-Washington Parkway (Route 295) north to Baltimore. Photo taken 06/01/04. |
| The next exit is Exit 4A, Junction Maryland 414/St. Barnabas Road west to Oxon Hill. Oxon Hill is situated on the southeastern side of the Capital Beltway between Maryland 210/Indian Head Highway and Maryland 414/St. Barnabas Road. Maryland 414 leaves St. Barnabas Road just south of this interchange to take Oxon Hill Road west into Oxon Hill. Photo taken 06/01/04. |
| Northbound Interstate 95-495/Capital Beltway Outer Loop at Exit 4A, Junction Maryland 414/St. Barnabas Road southwest to Oxon Hill Road. The next ramp connects to Exit 4B, Junction Maryland 414/St. Barnabas Road northeast to Silver Hill, with an interchange at Maryland 5/Branch Avenue. Photo taken 06/01/04. |
| Maryland 414 east passes by a variety of suburban areas as it meanders toward Maryland 5, including Barnaby Village, Deerpark Heights, Temple Hills, and Marlow Heights. The eastern terminus of Maryland 414 is at Maryland 458/Silver Hill Road in Silver Hill. Photo taken 06/01/04. |
| The next Interstate 95-495/Outer Loop reassurance shield assembly is located after the Maryland 414 interchange. Note the milepost is "Mile 5/OL," which refers to the fifth mile northeast of the state line along the Outer Loop. Photo taken 06/01/04. |
| To reach Baltimore-Washington International (BWI) Airport, use Exit 22, Junction Baltimore-Washington Parkway/Route 295 north. Photo taken 06/01/04. |
| The next exit along northbound/outer loop is Exits 7A-B, Junction Maryland 5/Branch Avenue to Waldorf and Silver Hill. Photo taken 06/01/04. |
| Maryland 5 southbound is an expressway, starting at its interchange with Maryland 414/St. Barnabas Road and extending south almost to U.S. 301 (there are several intersections along the way, but an extant freeway section last for several miles south of the Capital Beltway). It is an important commuter route, and it heads south into Charles County and St. Mary's County before ending at Point Lookout State Park. Photo taken 06/01/04. |
| Northbound Interstate 95-495/Capital Beltway Outer Loop at Exit 7A, Junction Maryland 5/Branch Avenue south to Waldorf and St. Charles. The next ramp is for Exit 7B, Junction Maryland 5 north to Silver Hill. Photo taken 06/01/04. |
| North Maryland 5/Branch Avenue is a freeway until it reaches Silver Hill and Fleishmans Village. After passing Suitland Parkway, Maryland 5 ends at Southern Avenue, and Branch Avenue continues north into the District of Columbia, coming to an intersection with Pennsylvania Avenue and ending at a traffic circle with Minnesota Avenue. Photo taken 06/07/04. |
| The next exit along the outer loop is Exit 9, Junction Maryland 337/Allentown Road, one mile. Photo taken 06/07/04. |
| To reach Andrews Air Force Base, use Maryland 337/Allentown Road east to reach Maryland 218/Suitland Road, which enters the base via Westover Drive. Maryland 218/Suitland Road northwest heads back to the District, changing into Alabama Avenue in Fairfax Village. Photo taken 06/07/04. |
| Northbound Interstate 95-495/Capital Beltway Outer Loop at Exit 9, Junction Maryland 337/Allentown Road west to Camp Springs and east to Andrews Air Force Base, Junction Maryland 218/Suitland Road, and Suitland Parkway. Photo taken 06/07/04. |
| The next exit along northbound/outer loop is Exits 11A-B, Junction Maryland 4/Pennsylvania Avenue, one mile. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| Northbound Interstate 95-495/Outer Loop at Exit 11A, Junction Maryland 4/Pennsylvania Avenue southeast to Upper Marlboro. Maryland 4 is a freeway from Maryland 223/Woodyard Road east past Upper Marlboro until it reaches Maryland 259/Maryland 258 in Bristol. From there south, heads south to Chesapeake Ranch Estates, then angles southwest over the Patuxent River to meet its end at Maryland 5 south of Leonardtown. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| The next ramp leads to Exit 11B, Junction Maryland 4/Pennsylvania Avenue northwest toward the District of Columbia. Indeed, this is the same Pennsylvania Avenue that forms part of the address of the White House (1600 Pennsylvania Avenue). Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| This mileage sign provides the distance to the next three exits along the outer loop: Exit 13, Ritchie-Marlboro Road; Exit 15, Junction Maryland 124/Central Avenue; and Exit 16/Arena Drive to the U.S. Airways Arena. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| A relatively new exit on the beltway, the next exit is Exit 13, Ritchie-Marlboro Road, one mile. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| Northbound Interstate 95-495/Capital Beltway outer loop at Exit 13, Ritchie-Marlboro Road southeast to Upper Marlboro and west to Ritchie and Walker Mill Regional Park. Photo taken 10/02/04.
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| The next three exits may be used to reach FedEx Field, which is located to the east of the Capital Beltway at the confluence of Arena Road from the east, Summerfield Boulevard (via Maryland 214/Central Avenue) from the south, and Redskins Road from the north (via Maryland 202/Landover Road. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| The next exit along northbound/outer loop is Exits 15A-B, Junction Maryland 214/Central Avenue. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| Northbound Interstate 95-495/Capital Beltway Outer Loop reaches Exit 15A, Junction Maryland 214/Central Avenue east to Largo. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| The next ramp in this interchange is for Exit 15B, Junction Maryland 214/Central Avenue west to Seat Pleasant. Take Maryland 214 west to Summerfield Road north to reach Redskins Stadium (Fed Ex Field). Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| The Arena Drive exit (Exit 16) was closed at the time this photo was taken. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| At times of events at Fed Ex Field and U.S. Airways Arena, the Arena Drive exit may be used to reach the two facilities. Use Arena Drive west to reach Fed Ex Field (home of the National Football League Washington Redskins) and east to U.S. Airways Arena. The U.S. Airways Arena is the former home of National Basketball Association's Washington Wizards, but the Wizards have since moved to downtown's MCI Center. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| The next exit along northbound/outer loop is Exit 17A, Junction Maryland 202/Landover Road east, 0.25 mile. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| Northbound Interstate 95-495/Capital Beltway outer loop at Exit 17A, Junction Maryland 202/Landover Road southeast to Largo, Oak Grove (Junction Maryland 193), and Upper Marlboro (Junction Maryland 725 and Maryland 4). Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| The next ramp connects northbound/outer loop with Exit 17B, Junction Maryland 202/Landover Road west to Kent Village, Landover, and Bladensburg. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| The next exit along northbound/outer loop is Exits 19A-B, Junction U.S. 50 and Hidden Interstate 595, one mile. Photo taken 10/02/04.
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| Use U.S. 50/Interstate 595 east to reach the city of Bowie (junction U.S. 301) and U.S. 50 west to reach the New Carrollton Station along the Amtrak Line. Photo taken 10/02/04.
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| Interstate 595 was originally going to signed alongside U.S. 50 on all overhead signs and reassurance shields, but that plan was scrapped because officials did not want to confuse motorists with more than one route number for the freeway to Annapolis. As a result, U.S. 50 from the Beltway east to Maryland 70 is part of the Interstate Highway System, but it is not signed as such. A space is allocated on the overhead signs for the never-added Interstate 595 shield. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| Interstate 595 was officially made part of the Interstate Highway System in 1995, after a series of upgrades were completed along U.S. 50 between Interstate 95-495/Capital Beltway and Maryland 70. This picture shows northbound Interstate 95-495/Capital Beltway at Exit 19A, Junction Interstate 595/U.S. 50 east. Photo taken 10/02/04.
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| The second half of the interchange is the ramp from northbound Interstate 95-495/Capital Beltway Outer Loop onto U.S. 50 west. Although it is a freeway, U.S. 50 between District of Columbia 295 and Interstate 95-495 is not part of the Interstate Highway System. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| The next exit along northbound is Exit 20A, Junction Maryland 450/Annapolis Road, one-half mile. Maryland 450 is the former routing of U.S. 50 before the John Hanson Highway was constructed around 1956-1957. For more information on the U.S. 50/Interstate 595 freeway, visit Scott Kozel's Interstate 595 page. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| Maryland 450 covers the old alignment of U.S. 50 between the District of Columbia boundary east to its interchange with U.S. 50 near Annapolis. Between the District and Maryland 3 in Bowie, Maryland 450 follows Annapolis Road, but it changes to Defense Highway east of Bowie. Use Maryland 450 east to reach Lanham and junctions with Maryland 564/Lanham-Severn Road, Maryland 704/Martin Luther King, Jr. Highway, and Maryland 953, Glenn Dale Road. Photo taken 10/02/04.
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| Northbound Interstate 95-495/Capital Beltway Outer Loop reaches Exit 20A, Junction Maryland 450 east to Lanham via old U.S. 50. The next ramp in this cloverleaf interchange is Exit 20B, Junction Maryland 450 west to Bladensburg. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| The Capital Beltway continues with four through lanes along northbound as it passes Exit 20B, Junction Maryland 450 west to Bladensburg and the District of Columbia. Use Maryland 450 west to reach Maryland 410/East-West Highway, Maryland 202/Landover Road, and Alternate U.S. 1 south into the District of Columbia. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| This mileage sign provides the distance to Exits 22A-B, Baltimore-Washington Parkway (Junction Route 295); Exit 27, split between Interstate 95 north to Baltimore and Interstate 495 west/Capital Beltway Outer Loop; and Exit 35, Junction Interstate 270 northwest to Frederick. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| To reach Baltimore from the Capital Beltway, several options are available: Exit 22A, Baltimore-Washington Parkway north to Maryland 295; Exit 25A, U.S. 1 north via Laurel; and Exit 27, Interstate 95 north. Another option not listed on this sign is U.S. 29, which serves the southwestern fringes of Baltimore, including Columbia and Ellicott City. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| The next exit along northbound/outer loop is Exit 22A, Baltimore-Washington Parkway (Route 295) north to Baltimore and south to Washington, one mile. Built to freeway standards, the parkway prohibits trucks on the section maintained by the National Park Service (between U.S. 50/District of Columbia 295 and Maryland 175). However, the road is an excellent commuter route for passenger vehicles. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| This particular sign refers to the Baltimore-Washington Parkway as Route 295 on Interstate 95 north & 495 outer. Maryland 295 is unsigned south of the interchange with Maryland 175 at Jessup through to the District of Columbia line. As mentioned above, the parkway is a useful through route between Washington and Baltimore despite carrying just four lanes. Photo taken 10/02/04.
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| Drawing to within one-half mile of the full cloverleaf interchange with the Baltimore-Washington Parkway (Exits 22A/B). To reach Baltimore-Washington International (BWI) Airport, use the Parkway north via Exit 22A. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| Northbound Interstate 95-495/Outer Loop reaches Exit 22A, Junction Baltimore-Washington Parkway north to Baltimore. The next ramp (Exit 22B) connects the beltway to the southbound parkway. After this interchange, the next exit is Exit 23, Junction Maryland 201/Kenilworth Avenue. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| Mentioned via an auxiliary guide sign on the Capital Beltway outer loop, the Exit 22A ramp to Baltimore-Washington Parkway (Maryland 295) northbound also serves adjacent Maryland 193 (Greenbelt Road). Maryland 193 crosses over the Parkway and Interstate 95 north of their cloverleaf interchange. The surface arterial travels east from Greenbelt to the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and Glenn Dale. Photo taken 10/02/04.
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| Use the Baltimore-Washington Parkway south via Exit 22B to reach downtown Washington D.C. via the Pennsylvania Avenue exit along southbound. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| Maryland 201/Kenilworth Avenue is the next exit along the outer loop; it heads north to Greenbelt and south to Bladensburg. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| Unlike several previous interchanges, Exit 23 to Maryland 201/Kenilworth Avenue is not a cloverleaf. The Capital Beltway Outer Loop (Interstate 95-495 north) continues northwest to its next interchange with U.S. 1. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| At the time this photo was taken, it was the morning rush hour on the beltway. This variable message sign advised of delays on eastbound Interstate 495/Outer Loop immediately following the Interstate 95 split, and the sign turned out to be factual. A traffic jam was visible on Interstate 495 west after the Interstate 95 split. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| The Capital Beltway's next interchange is with U.S. 1 (Exit 25), but signs already announce the split (Exit 27), where Interstate 95 heads north to Baltimore (and onward to the Northeast) while Interstate 495 angles west and then southwest to continue its loop around the District of Columbia. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| Northbound Interstate 95-495/Capital Beltway Outer Loop approaches Exit 25, Junction U.S. 1 north to Laurel and south to College Park via Baltimore Avenue, one mile. Motorists are also reminded that (unsigned) Exit 27, the split between Interstate 95 and Interstate 495, is forthcoming. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| U.S. 1 and Interstate 95 will remain companions as they travel northeast toward New York City and Boston. Through Maryland, they parallel each other closely north to Baltimore, then separate a bit, as Interstate 95 serves Wilmington and U.S. 1 enters Pennsylvania without passing through Delaware. They meet again in Philadelphia, then separate again, as Interstate 95 continues north via the New Jersey Turnpike and U.S. 1 passes through Princeton. However, from New York City north to Maine, Interstate 95 and U.S. 1 close companions. Only at the northernmost segment of Interstate 95 does the freeway separate from U.S. 1 again; from Bangor north, Interstate 95 follows U.S. 2. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| Northbound Interstate 95-495/Capital Beltway Outer Loop reaches Exit 25, Junction U.S. 1/Baltimore Avenue. The next interchange is where Interstates 95 and 495 divide (Exit 27). Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| According to this graphical overhead sign, through traffic along the Capital Beltway Outer Loop (Interstate 495 westbound) should remain in the four left lanes. The three right lanes are allocated for Interstate 95 northbound. At this point along the beltway, there are only four through lanes, so generally speaking, Interstate 495 traffic should keep left and Interstate 95 traffic should keep right. This configuration changes after traffic from U.S. 1 merges onto the beltway and the freeway adds lanes (see next photobox). Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| Indeed, after the U.S. 1 interchange, Interstate 95-495/Capital Beltway widens out to six lanes as the beltway approaches the split between the two freeways. Note that exit numbers are not present on these signs. These signs contain what could arguably be the largest Interstate 95 shields on any freeway sign on the entire route from Florida to Maine. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| The upcoming interchange between Interstate 495 and Interstate 95 was originally going to include connections to a southbound Interstate 95 freeway that was to extend south through the northern suburbs of Washington into the District of Columbia, connecting with the north end of Interstate 395 at New York Avenue. That freeway connection was never built, but the interchange was designed with a future southbound connection. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| Now at the seven-lane configuration, the three right lanes exit onto northbound Interstate 95 to Baltimore, and the four left lanes exit onto westbound Interstate 495/Capital Beltway. The routes divide at the next overhead sign. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| Westbound Interstate 495/Capital Beltway and northbound Interstate 95 split here, at Exit 26. Interstate 95 will carry three lanes of traffic in each direction between the Capital Beltway and the Baltimore Beltway (Interstate 695). The Baltimore-Washington Parkway (Route 295) offers an alternative to Interstate 95 for cars if Interstate 95 is congested. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| Once on the transition ramp from the Capital Beltway onto Interstate 95 north, a single offramp to a park and ride represents what was to be the transition ramp from Interstate 495 west to Interstate 95 south. This ramp angles south into the Park and Ride, which is situated adjacent to a power line corridor. A similar park and ride parking area is located at the eastern end of Interstate 70 at the Baltimore city limits. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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Page Updated December 12, 2004.
