Interstate 695 - Maryland Travel Information

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Interstate 695/Baltimore Beltway, Outer Loop: Exits 44-33

Interstate 695 is split into six pages:

Interstate 695 Outer Loop
Our journey on the outer loop of Interstate 695 begins after Exit 1/Junction Maryland 173/Hawkins Point Road, as the beltway prepares to cross the Baltimore Harbor/Patapsco River via the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which rises in the distance. Photo taken 04/30/04.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge, which crosses the Baltimore Harbor, makes for a magnificent backdrop as Interstate 695/Outer Loop approaches the bridge. Photo taken 04/30/04.
Opened in 1977, the Francis Scott Key Bridge, along with approaches on both sides, were the final links to the Interstate 695/Baltimore Beltway. Originally most sections were built as a two-lane highway, but the bridge itself was built with four lanes. The upgrading of the two-lane highway to four-lane freeway occurred between 1977 and 2000 between Maryland 10 and Maryland 151. Once the freeway was completed, it was changed from Maryland 695 into Interstate 695. Photo taken 04/30/04.
Here is another view of the Key Bridge, which is named for Francis Scott Key, who wrote the Star Spangled Banner (the national anthem) after witnessing a spectacular battle at Fort McHenry during the War of 1812 in Baltimore Harbor. Photo taken 04/30/04.
This mileage sign, located on the ascent up the bridge, provides the distance to the toll plaza followed by Broening Highway and Junction Interstate 95 (Exits 33B-A). Photo taken 04/30/04.

Originally planned as a tunnel crossing, the Key Bridge was instead constructed between 1972 and 1977 as a bridge due to a lower cost. The bridge also allows for hazardous materials transportation, unlike the harbor tunnels. Although the bridge has substandard shoulders on both sides, it is signed as an Interstate. For more on the Francis Scott Key Bridge, visit Maryland Transportation Authority's Key Bridge Fact Sheet and Scott Kozel's Baltimore's Outer Harbor Crossing. Photo taken 04/30/04.
Owned and operated by the Maryland Transportation Authority, the Key Bridge has a $2 toll in both directions. This is the same toll that is charged on the Interstate 95/Fort McHenry Tunnel and Interstate 895/Harbor Tunnel, which keeps fares for southbound traffic comparable. Photo taken 04/30/04.
Use Exit 44 to reach the Dundalk and Seagirt Terminals. On the Maryland official map, Exit 44 is signed as Maryland 695/Broening Highway, but no shields are placed on the mainline for this designation. Maryland 695 passes by the Dundalk Marine Terminal before ending at the city limits of Baltimore. Broening Highway continues into the city, however. Photo taken 04/30/04.
Interstate 695 now crosses the Bear Creek Bridge, which is the third bridge (after Curtis Creek Drawbridge and Key Bridge) for the freeway. This viaduct was only two lanes until construction widened the freeway in 2000. Photo taken 04/30/04.
Northbound Interstate 695/Outer Loop next approaches Exit 43, Junction Maryland 157/Peninsula Expressway west to Dundalk and Merritt Boulevard. Exit 43 also connects to Maryland 158/Bethlehem Road. Photo taken 04/30/04.
Use Exit 43 to reach Edgemere, Fort Howard, and North Point State Park via Maryland 151 northeast to North Point Road southeast. Photo taken 04/30/04.
Northbound Interstate 695/Outer Loop reaches Exit 43, Junction Maryland 157/Peninsula Expressway and Maryland 158/Bethlehem Road. Photo taken 04/30/04.
View of the offramp onto Exit 43 (Maryland 157 and Maryland 158) as seen from the outer loop. After Exits 43-42, maintenance for Interstate 695 shifts from the Maryland Transportation Authority back to the Maryland State Highway Administration. Photo taken 04/30/04.
North Interstate 695/Outer Loop reassurance shield is located after Exit 43/Junction Maryland 157/Peninsula Expressway. Photo taken 04/30/04.
Another reassurance shield appears shortly thereafter, as Interstate 695 passes just west of North Point. Photo taken 04/30/04.
The next exit is Exit 41, Cove Road west to Maryland 151/North Point Boulevard and to Dundalk. Photo taken 04/30/04.
Northbound Interstate 695/Outer Loop at Exit 41, Cove Road west to Maryland 151 and Dundalk and east to the west bank of the Back River. Photo taken 04/30/04.
Exit 40 is Junction Maryland 151, which heads southeast along North Point Boulevard parallel to Interstate 695 between Exits 40 and 42. Photo taken 04/30/04.
The next exit along the outer loop/northbound is Exit 38, Junction Maryland 150/Eastern Boulevard. Photo taken 04/30/04.
The right lane becomes exit only onto Maryland 150, while the two left lanes continue along the outer loop toward U.S. 40 and Interstate 95. Maryland 150 Photo taken 04/30/04.
View of the collector-distributor lane signage for the exit onto Maryland 150. Photo taken 04/30/04.
This mileage sign provides the distance to Exit 36, Maryland 702; Exits 35B-A, Junction U.S. 40; and Exit 34, Junction Maryland 7. Photo taken 04/30/04.
In this scene, Interstate 695 crosses the Back River and the Amtrak rail line between Exits 38 and 36. Photo taken 04/30/04.
The next exit is Exit 36, Junction Maryland 702/Southeast Freeway south to Maryland 150/Eastern Boulevard, Essex Sky Park, and Rocky Point Park. Photo taken 04/30/04.
Maryland 702 was to be part of a large freeway system in the area southeast of Baltimore. Maryland 702 was planned to extend southeast from this interchange all the way to Rocky Point Park, and another freeway (the Windlass Freeway) would have roughly paralleled the Amtrak corridor from the Interstate 95/895 interchange northeast toward Maryland 43/White Marsh Expressway east of U.S. 40. Neither the Windlass Freeway (which would have crossed Interstate 695 near here) nor Maryland 43 east of U.S. 40 were constructed. However an extension of some sorts is underway for Maryland 43 as of Fall 2004. Photo taken 04/30/04.
The ghost ramp for the connection to the Windlass Expressway is still visible today at this proposed but unconstructed exit ramp. Photo taken 04/30/04.
This diagrammatical sign shows the split between Interstate 695 west/outer loop and Maryland 702 south to Essex. Photo taken 04/30/04.
Now reaching the gore point for Exit 36, this is the last reassurance shield along the outer loop to use the "north" direction. From here, it angles northwest toward Interstate 95. Photo taken 04/30/04.
Northbound Interstate 695/Baltimore Beltway Outer Loop reaches Exit 35B, Junction U.S. 40/Pulaski Highway east. This older button copy sign remains in place, even though the next overhead sign bridge features newer, reflective signs. The next exit is Exit 35A, Junction U.S. 40/Pulaski Highway west. Photo taken 04/30/04.
The next three exits along the Outer Loop are Exit 35B, Junction U.S. 40/Pulaski Highway west to Aberdeen; Exit 34, Junction Maryland 7/Old Philadelphia Road; and Exits 33B-A, Junction Interstate 95/John F. Kennedy Highway. Photo taken 04/30/04.
The interchange between Interstate 695/Baltimore Beltway and U.S. 40/Pulaski Highway is a cloverleaf. Continuing northwest along the Outer Loop, Interstate 695 retains three lanes as it continues toward its junction with Interstate 95. Photo taken 04/30/04.
The next exit along the outer loop (northbound) of the beltway is Exit 34, Junction Maryland 7/Old Philadelphia Road to Rosedale. Between Baltimore and the Delaware State Line near Elkton, the old alignments of U.S. 40 that are still state maintained are designated as Maryland 7. Although Maryland 7 is separated into several portions (much like Maryland 144, which follows old sections of U.S. 40 west of Baltimore), this particular stretch of Maryland 7 extends from the Baltimore City Limits northeast to end at U.S. 40 near Aberdeen. Other sections exist in various areas along U.S. 40/Pulaski Highway as it extends northeast toward Delaware. Photo taken 04/30/04.
Northbound Interstate 695/Baltimore Beltway outer loop reaches Exit 34, Junction Maryland 7/Old Philadelphia Road to Rosedale. The next exit along northbound is Exit 33B-A, Junction Interstate 95/John F. Kennedy Highway. Photo taken 04/30/04.
Eastbound Interstate 695/Baltimore Beltway Outer Loop approaches the northern interchange with its parent, Interstate 95, at Exits 33B-A. The first exit is a right exit for Interstate 95 north to Wilmington, Philadelphia, and New York. The second exit is a left exit for Interstate 95 south to the Fort McHenry Tunnel and downtown Baltimore. Photo taken 04/30/04.
As an alternative to Interstate 95 south during congested periods, traffic may bypass Baltimore via Interstate 695 outer loop to Interstate 70 west or to Interstate 95 south. Another option is to use Interstate 895/Harbor Tunnel Thruway south to bypass downtown. Photo taken 04/30/04.
Due to the tunnels under the harbor near downtown Baltimore, both Interstate 95 and Interstate 895 have restrictions for hazardous vehicles. As a result, affected motorists should continue straight ahead on Interstate 695/Outer Loop east. Photo taken 04/30/04.
The left lane becomes exit only to southbound Interstate 95, while the right lane has an optional exit onto northbound Interstate 95. Two main lanes continue straight ahead as the beltway continues east toward Towson. Photo taken 04/30/04.
View of Interstate 695/Outer Loop eastbound as northbound Interstate 95 departs at Exit 33B. The next exit is Exit 33A, Junction Interstate 95 south. Photo taken 04/30/04.

Page Updated June 23, 2004.