Site Navigation Delaware District of Columbia Maryland New Jersey Pennsylvania Virginia West Virginia     Interstate 270 Northbound The guide for Interstate 270 is split between two pages: Interstate 270 Northbound Interstate 270 Southbound Interstate 270 Spur North Interstate 270 Spur departs its partial "Y" interchange with Interstate 495 and approaches its only interchange. Signed as Exit 1, a partial-cloverleaf interchange links the former Interstate 270 and 470 freeway with Democracy Boulevard. The east-west surface arterial spurs west of Maryland 187 (Old Georgetown Road) to the Montgomery Mall and Cabin John Regional Park among other places. Photo taken 09/25/04. Like both Interstate 270 and 495, the left-hand lane of Interstate 270 Spur is allocated for HOV-2 traffic. Pictured here is the 0.25-mile sign bridge from Democracy Boulevard (Exit 1) otherwise. Photo taken 09/25/04. The Democracy Boulevard off-ramp departs Interstate 270 Spur northbound. Democracy Boulevard travels 3.8 miles westward to junction Maryland 189 (Falls Road) and Glen Road at the suburb of Potomac (pop. 44,822) Photo taken 09/25/04. Interstate 270 Spur northbound continues another 0.75 miles to its merge onto Interstate 270 northbound. A proclamation sign declares that Interstate 270 is dedicated to Senator Charles "Mac" Mathias ahead of the partial "Y" interchange between the two freeways. The retired senator was known for his work in the restoration effort of Chesapeake Bay. Photo taken 09/25/04. An Interstate 270 trailblazer takes the place of a northbound Interstate 270 Spur reassurance shield between Democracy Boulevard and the freeway merge with I-270. To the left is a sign displaying "The I-270 Technology Corridor". The Corridor refers to the stretch of Interstate 270 between Washington, D.C. and Frederick where a large concentration of high-tech businesses and government agencies are found. Photo taken 09/25/04. This guide sign advises motorists of the pending Interstate 270 split into local and express lanes beyond the merge with Interstate 270 Spur. In the background are the mainline travel lanes of Interstate 270 southbound. Photo taken 09/25/04. Interstate 270 North Six lanes initially carry Interstate 270 from the merge with Interstate 270 Spur to the local and express split. The city of Rockville (pop. 47,388) is served by the next four interchanges (Exits 4, 5, 6, and 8). It is not neccessary however to move onto the local lanes for the interchanges beyond Exit 5 as crossovers allow express motorists access to those off-ramps. Photo taken 09/25/04. Interstate 270 northbound prepares to split into two carriageways. Montrose Road is signed with the Interstate 270 local lanes for Exit 4A/B. A small auxiliary sign advises drivers of the Exit 4A connection with Tower Oaks Boulevard. Tower Oaks Boulevard parallels Interstate 270 northbound between Montrose Road and Wootton Parkway. Photo taken 09/25/04. Interstate 270 splits into local and express lanes. Eight overall lanes comprise the inner express carriageways and a pair of two-lane local carriageways stay to the outside of the freeway between here and junction Interstate 370 (Exit 9). Photo taken 09/25/04. The Exit 4A off-ramp from Interstate 270 Local departs the freeway for Montrose Avenue east and Tower Oaks Boulevard north. Montrose Avenue travels two miles east to junction Maryland 355 (Rockville Pike) and Maryland 183 (Randolph Road). Tower Oaks Boulevard migrates one mile north to Wootton Park and Dogwood Park. Photo taken 09/25/04. A loop ramp ascends from Interstate 270 northbound onto Montrose Road westbound. Montrose Road westbound continues one half mile to Seven Locks Road and 1.5 miles to its end at Maryland 189 (Falls Road). Photo taken 09/25/04. A crossover carries Interstate 270 Express northbound motorists onto Interstate 270 Local for the Exit 5 SPUI (Single Point Urban Interchange) with Maryland 189 (Falls Road). Falls Road links Interstate 270 with downtown Rockville and the historic district of the city. Photo taken 09/25/04. 0.75 miles south of junction Maryland 189 (Falls Road) on Interstate 270 Local northbound. The one-mile overhead for the Exit 6 crossover for Maryland 28 (Montgomery Avenue) is posted over Interstate 270 Express northbound. Wootton Parkway passed overhead in the background between Maryland 189 and Maryland 355. Photo taken 09/25/04. Maryland 189 (Falls Road) not only serves the Rockville Town Center but also the suburb of Potomac to the southwest. The state route intersects Maryland 190 (River Road) in 4.8 miles at Potomac itself. Photo taken 09/25/04. Interstate 270 Local northbound at the Exit 5 off-ramp for Maryland 189 (Falls Road). Falls Road travels less than a mile northeast to its end at downtown Rockville at Maryland 28 (Montgomery Avenue / Jefferson Street). Photo taken 09/25/04. Posted within the Maryland 189 (Exit 5) SPUI are advance guide signs for the next two crossovers between Interstate 270 Express onto Interstate 270 Local for Exits 6 (Maryland 28) and 8 (Shady Grove Road). A bank of traffic signals are hidden behind the guide signs on the Maryland 189 overpass itself. Photo taken 09/25/04. One half mile separates the Maryland 189 and Maryland 28 interchanges of Interstate 270. A pair of crossovers exist between the two carriageways otherwise. Photo taken 09/25/04. Interstate 270 junctions with Maryland 28 (Montgomery Avenue) via a three-quarter cloverleaf interchange. Pictured here is the Exits 6A/B guide sign that breaks down Montgomery Avenue with the control cities of Damestown (westbound) and Rockville (eastbound). Damestown (pop. 6,378) lies eight miles west of Exit 6B at the Maryland 28 junction with Maryland 112 (Seneca Road). Photo taken 09/25/04. Interstate 270 leaves the Rockville vicinity for Gaithersburg (pop. 52,613) beyond the Exit 6 interchange with Maryland 28. Posted over the Interstate 270 Express mainline is an upcoming exits sign for the next three interchanges including that with Interstate 370. Photo taken 09/25/04. Exit 6A departs Interstate 270 Local for Maryland 28 (Montgomery Avenue) eastbound into Rockville. Montgomery Avenue carries the state highway onto Jefferson Street in downtown Rockville. A 1.3-mile drive brings Maryland 28 to its intersection with Maryland 355 (Rockville Pike / former U.S. 240) and Veirs Mill Road. Photo taken 09/25/04. Northbound at the loop ramp onto Maryland 28 (Montgomery Avenue) west to Damestown. Maryland 28 becomes Key West Avenue and Damestown Road on the drive west to Quince Orchard (junction Maryland 124). The state route continues west from Damestown to Dawsonville where it meets Maryland 107 (Whites Ferry Road). Whites Ferry Road links Maryland 28 with the town of Poolesville (pop. 5,151). Photo taken 09/25/04. The Interstate 270 Express crossover for Exit 8 (Shady Grove Road) merges onto Interstate 270 Local as it leaves the Maryland 28 interchange at Exit 6. Photo taken 09/25/04. The one-mile guide sign for the Interstate 370 and Maryland 117 & 124 crossover (Exits 9 & 10) is posted ahead of the Interstate 270 Local crossover back onto the express lanes for Maryland 28 traffic. Photo taken 09/25/04. A plethora of highway signs are posted at the Interstate 270 crossover between the local and express lanes one mile south of the Shady Grove partial-cloverleaf interchange. Shady Grove Road constitutes a surface-arterial throughout Gaithersburg between Redland and Damestown Road (Maryland 28). Photo taken 09/25/04. Use Shady Grove Road eastbound (Exit 8A) for the Gaithersburg town center. Shady Grove Road intersects Maryland 355 (Frederick Road) one mile to the northeast. Frederick Road (former U.S. 240) travels from there northward into Gaithersburg town center. Passing overhead here is Gude Drive between Maryland 28 (Key West Avenue) and Upper Watts Branch Park. Photo taken 09/25/04. Interstate 270 Local reduces to one through lane as it passes underneath Shady Grove Road at Exit 8. The forthcoming off-ramp splits into branches to Shady Grove Road and Redland Road eastbound for the community of Derwood. Photo taken 09/25/04. Traffic to Shady Grove and Redland Roads leave Interstate 270 Local northbound at Exit 8. Shady Grove Road interchanges with Interstate 370 two miles to the east before ending in 3.7 miles at junction Maryland 115 (Muncaster Mill Road) & Airpark Road and Redland (pop. 16,998). Photo taken 09/25/04. All Interstate 270 Express drivers bound for Interstate 370 and the Sam Eig Highway merge onto the local lanes at the Shady Grove Road interchange. The upcoming junction with Interstate 370 serves Gaithersburg, the Rio Center and Washingtonian Center in Gaithersburg, and the Shady Grove Metro Station of the Washington D.C. subway system. Photo taken 09/25/04. Interstate 270 Local expands from one to three lanes in between Shady Grove Road and junction Interstate 370 (Exits 9A/B). Interstate 370 at present spurs west to Fields Road as the Sam Eig Highway and east directly into the Shady Grove Metro Station. The freeway spur constitutes just 3.13 miles. Photo taken 09/25/04. Another crossover carries Shady Grove Road drivers onto the Interstate 270 Express lanes to bypass the ramps to/from Interstate 370 and the Sam Eig Highway (Exits 9A/B). Photo taken 09/25/04. A wide directional cloverleaf interchange composes the junction between Interstates 270 and 370 at Gaithersburg. Exit 9 carries all Interstate 370 interests away from Interstate 270 Local before splitting into east and westbound components. Interstate 270 Local continues for one more interchange, that with Maryland 117 (Diamond Avenue) to Maryland 124 (Quince Orchard Road). Photo taken 09/25/04. Exit 9 partitions into Exits 9A/9B for Interstate 370 and the Sam Eig Highway westbound. Interstate 370 east features interchanges with Maryland 355 (Frederick Road) for the Gaithersburg Town Center and Shady Grove Road before ending at the Shady Grove Metro Station. A toll highway dubbed the Inter-County Connector however is planned to extend Interstate 370 east from Gaithersburg to Interstate 95 in the near future. Photo taken 09/25/04. Exit 9B sweeps northwestward over Interstate 270 and 370 for the Sam Eig Highway and the interchange with Washingtonian Boulevard. Washingtonian Boulevard travels between Interstate 370 and Fields Road through the Rio Center and Washingtonian Center in Gaithersburg. The diamond interchange was constructed in the mid to late 1990s. Photo taken 09/25/04. Mainline Interstate 270 Maryland reassurance shield posted after the local and express carriageway merge north of Exit 11 with Maryland 124 (Montgomery Village Avenue). Interstate 270 cuts through Seneca Creek State Park on the drive between Maryland 124 and Exits 13A/B (Middlebrook Road). Photo taken 10/14/01. Interstate 270 northbound expands to four overall lanes in anticipation of its terminus at junction Interstate 70 & U.S. 40 (Exit 32). Two lanes are allocated for Interstate 70 & U.S. 40 east and the U.S. 40 freeway west to U.S. 15 in Frederick. Photo taken 08/07/04. A second diagrammatical overhead is placed on the stretch between Maryland 85 (Buckeystown Pike) and Exit 32 (Interstate 70 & U.S. 40) on Interstate 270 north. U.S. 40 overlaps with Interstate 70 west from Exit 82 to Interstate 270 (Exit 53). The federal route turns northward onto the Interstate 270 freeway to merge with U.S. 15 at downtown Frederick (pop. 52,767). Photo taken 08/07/04. All traffic that does not depart Interstate 270 for Exit 32 defaults onto U.S. 40 westbound for the cloverleaf interchange with U.S. 15 & 340 and Jefferson Street. U.S. 15 consitutes a freeway from U.S. 340 northward throughout the city of Frederick to junction Maryland 26 (Liberty Road). U.S. 15 continues from there to Thurmont (pop. 5,588) and Emmitsburg (pop. 2,290), Maryland and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Photo taken 08/07/04. An Interstate 70 shield accompanies the Exit 32 gore point sign at Interstate 270's northern terminus. Interstate 70 provides the main route between Baltimore, Frederick, and Hagerstown in north-central Maryland. Photo taken 08/07/04. Exit 32 defaults onto Interstate 70 westbound for Hagerstown, Hancock (junction Interstate 68), and Breezewood (junction Interstate 76). Interstate 70 eastbound interchanges with Maryland 355 (Urbana Pike) in one half mile at south Frederick and Interstate 695 (Baltimore Beltway) in 38 miles. Photo taken 08/07/04. Interstate 70 gore point for the ramp split between east and westbound. Photo taken 08/07/04. The two-lane ramp of Interstate 270 north onto Interstate 70 west reduces to one lane ahead of its merge onto the mainline at junction U.S. 15 & 340 (Exit 52). Access to U.S. 15 northbound is provided by the U.S. 40 freeway westbound. U.S. 340 ends at the junction of U.S. 15 and 40 to the north. Otherwise U.S. 15 south & 340 west overlap four miles to the town of Jefferson where U.S. 15 departs for Point of Rocks and northern Virginia. U.S. 340 continues from there as a full freeway to near Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Photo taken 08/07/04. Scenes Pertaining to Interstate 270 Maryland 85 (Buckeystown Pike) northbound within the partial-cloverleaf interchange at Interstate 270 (Exit 31). The surface arterial junctions with the freeway adjacent to the Francis Scott Key Mall south of Frederick. Interstate 270 northbound defaults into U.S. 40 west and U.S. 15 north in two miles. Photo taken 08/07/04. The on-ramp to Interstate 270 north for U.S. 15 north and Interstate 70 & U.S. 40 departs Maryland 85 (Buckeystown Pike) northbound. Maryland 85 continues one half mile to Grove Road (to Maryland 355 south) and one mile to its end at Maryland 355 north & junction Interstate 70 & U.S. 40 (Exit 54). Photo taken 08/07/04. Page Updated November 12, 2004.