| Maryland 170 is not to be confused with the once proposed but unconstructed Interstate 170 spur in Baltimore, which was to connect once-proposed Interstate 70 with downtown Baltimore via the Mulberry Street viaduct. Other duplications of route numbers between Interstates and state routes include Interstate 68 and Maryland 68 in the panhandle and Interstate 97 and Maryland 97 in central Maryland. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| Eastbound Maryland 32 freeway at Exit 4, Junction Maryland 170/Telegraph Road south to Odenton and north to Severn (Junction Maryland 174/Donaldson Avenue). Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| The penultimate exit along eastbound is Exit 3, Burns Crossing Road to Gambrills and Odenton. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| The final exit along eastbound Maryland 32 is Exits 1A-B-C, Junction Interstate 97 and Maryland 3. Interstate 97 heads south to Annapolis, and through lanes directly connect from Maryland 32 onto Interstate 97. Maryland 3, meanwhile, heads south to Bowie, where it meets U.S. 50-301 (Hidden Interstate 595). U.S. 301 extends from that point south into Southeastern Maryland, then crosses the Potomac River en route to Richmond, Virginia. In addition to the two exits heading south, an exit onto northbound Maryland 3 will funnel traffic directly onto northbound Interstate 97 en route to Glen Burnie and Baltimore. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| One of the newer two-digit Interstate highways in the country, Interstate 97 is a fairly short route, connecting southeastern Baltimore at the Interstate 695 beltway with U.S. 50-301 (Hidden Interstate 595) in northwestern Annapolis via Glen Burnie. The highway is well traveled, and it carries four to eight lanes of traffic. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| While Interstate 97 heads north to Baltimore, Maryland 3 heads south to Bowie, where it meets U.S. 50-301 (Hidden Interstate 595) midway between the Capital Beltway (Interstate 95-495) and Annapolis (Interstate 97). Although Maryland 3 ends at this junction, U.S. 301 continues south. Historically, Maryland 3 was at one time part of U.S. 301, before it was rerouted onto the Delmarva Peninsula. (U.S. 301 originally terminated at Interstate 295 just south of Wilmington, Delaware, at the western approach to the Delaware Memorial Bridge and now ends well west of there, at U.S. 40 south of Newark, Delaware near the Interstate 95/Delaware 896 interchange). Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| A junction sign that is more typically found on rural highways in Maryland is found along eastbound Maryland 32 as it approaches Interstate 97 and Maryland 3. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| As Maryland 32 comes to its end, drivers are afforded three options: Exit 1C, Junction Maryland 3 south to Bowie and U.S. 301; Exit 1B, Junction Maryland 3 north to Interstate 97 en route to Glen Burnie and Baltimore; and Exit 1A, Junction Interstate 97 south to Annapolis. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| Eastbound Maryland 32 at Exit 1B, Junction Maryland 3 north to Interstate 97 north. All through traffic is defaulted onto southbound Interstate 97. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| Maryland 32 West
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| The first exit along westbound Maryland 32 after the Interstate 97 interchange is Exit 1, Junction Maryland 3 south to Gambrills and Bowie. At Bowie, Maryland 3 meets U.S. 50 and U.S. 301; U.S. 301 continues southwest from Bowie en route to La Plata in Charles County and the state of Virginia. Meanwhile, Maryland 32 continues northwest as a freeway, with destination cities of Odenton (Junction Maryland 677/170) and Columbia (Junction U.S. 29). Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| The next exit along westbound is Exit 3, Burns Crossing Road north to Ridgeway, southwest to Junction Maryland 677 and Odenton, and southeast to Gambrills. Photo taken 10/13/04.
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| Westbound reassurance shield posted as Maryland 32 leaves the confluence of Interstate 97 and Maryland 3 (Robert Crain Highway) at Millersvile. The next sign indicates that the following three exits serve the community of Odenton. Photo taken 10/13/04. |
| Westbound Maryland 32 passes under an overcrossing for Gambrills Road; the one-half mile advance warning guide sign for Burns Crossing Road is mounted on the bridge. Gambrills Road intersects Burns Crossing Road just south of the freeway near the center of the town of Gambrills. Photo taken 10/13/04.
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| Westbound Maryland 32 at Exit 3, Burns Crossing Road to Maryland 677/Odenton. Note that the exit numbers are not listed on the signs, but several maps show them. Unlike most east-west highways, mileposts and exit numbers increase from southeast to northwest. This may be due to the fact that Maryland 32 turns north-south after it passes U.S. 29 and Interstate 70 near Columbia. Photo taken 10/13/04.
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| The next exit along westbound is Exit 4, Junction Maryland 170/Telegraph Road, which heads south to Odenton and north to Severn, one mile. Photo taken 10/13/04.
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| Maryland 170/Telegraph Road is a major north-south arterial that heads southeast into Odenton (to reach its southern terminus at Maryland 175) and north to Severn and Baltimore-Washington International Airport, culminating in Baltimore. Despite the number, Maryland 170 has no relation to Interstate 70. Instead, Maryland 170 is part of a cluster of routes in the 170-series in this area. Other nearby routes include Maryland 174/Reece Road and Donaldson Avenue, Maryland 175/Annapolis Road, and Maryland 178/Generals Highway. Photo taken 10/13/04.
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| Westbound Maryland 32 at Exit 4, Junction Maryland 170/Telegraph Road to Odenton and Severn. Photo taken 10/13/04.
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| The next exit along westbound is Exit 6, Junction Maryland 175/Annapolis Road, one and one-half miles. In addition to heading southeast into Odenton, Maryland 175 also provides direct access into Fort Meade. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| As Maryland 32 skirts the northeastern edge of Odenton, Maryland 175/Annapolis Road passes directly through the community, connecting to Maryland 170/Telegraph Road in downtown Odenton. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| Westbound Maryland 32 at Exit 6, Junction Maryland 175/Annapolis Road southeast into Odenton and northwest into Fort Meade. Now leaving the vicinity of Odenton, Maryland 32 continues as a freeway northwest toward the Baltimore-Washington Parkway (sometimes referred to as Route 295) and Interstate 95 before reaching U.S. 29 and the city of Columbia. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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Maryland 32 westbound straddles the boundary of Fort George G. Meade and Patuxent National Wildlife Research Refuge west of Odenton. Photo taken 10/13/04. |
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Westbound mileage sign for the Baltimore-Washington Parkway (Exits 11A/B), Interstate 95 (Exits 13A/B) and Columbia (junction U.S. 29 - Exits 16A/B). Photo taken 10/13/04. |
| The next exit along westbound is Exit 9, Junction Maryland 198 southwest to Fort Meade and Laurel, one mile. Maryland 32 enters Fort George G. Meade, and it will remain in the fort until passing the Baltimore-Washington Parkway interchange (Exit 11). Photo taken 10/13/04.
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| Maryland 32 through traffic maintains four overall lanes through Fort George G. Meade. Photo taken 10/13/04. |
| Maryland 198/Laurel-Fort Meade Road reaches its eastern terminus here at Maryland 32 Exit 9. From here, it heads west to a full interchange with the Baltimore-Washington Parkway (Route 295) into Laurel. Continuing west of Laurel, Maryland 198 follows Gorman Avenue to Interstate 95, and then continues along Sandy Spring Road into Montgomery County (as Spencerville Road). Maryland 198 reaches its western terminus at Browns Corner at the intersection with Maryland 650/New Hampshire Avenue. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| Prior to reaching the exit for Maryland 198, these signs announce that the freeway ends, and Maryland 32 continues as a signalized divided highway, with cross-traffic and intersections. At the time this photo was taken, Maryland 32 was being upgraded to a full freeway between Maryland 198 and the Baltimore-Washington Parkway (Route 295), and the following photoboxes show some of the improvements associated with that. Only one traffic signal remained between Maryland 198 and the Parkway, and that was removed by October of 2004. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| Prior to reaching the former expressway segment, westbound Maryland 32 meets Exit 6, Junction Maryland 198 to Laurel and Fort Meade. Photo taken 10/13/04.
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| The next exit along westbound is Exit 10, an exit dedicated for employees of the federal government's NSA complex. The complex is of such size that an exit is required here as well as along the Baltimore-Washington Parkway (Route 295). Photo taken 10/13/04. |
| Maryland 32 westbound at the NSA (National Security Agency) employee off-ramp at Fort Meade. Access to the NSA facility is provided for both directions to and from Maryland 32. Construction at the time of this photograph eliminated the lone remaining traffic signal. Photo taken 10/13/04.
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| This mileage sign is located in front of an overpass that carries a left exit from eastbound Maryland 32 to the NSA complex. The next exit was a signalized intersection that is not identified on this mileage sign; the following exit is the Baltimore-Washington Parkway (Route 295). Other destinations noted here include the interchange with Interstate 95 and the city of Columbia (Junction U.S. 29). Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| A third Fort Meade interchange was under construction as of Fall 2004. The advance guide sign for the off-ramp was concealed at the time. Photo taken 10/13/04. |
| After the mileage sign, the Maryland 32 corridor enters the construction zone. Here work is underway to convert Maryland 32 into a controlled access freeway with no traffic signals or intersections. The power lines occupy the center median of Maryland 32 briefly here. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| A temporary advance sign advises motorists of the pending interchange with the Baltimore-Washington Parkway (Route 295). Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| A look at the new Baltimore-Washington Parkway overhead and the unveiled exit sign for the new Fort Meade interchange. Photo taken 10/13/04. |
| The former traffic signal that sat just beyond the temporary sign for the Parkway. The removal of this traffic signal is part of the upgrade of the highway into a freeway. Photo taken 06/07/04.
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| Returning to its original alignment, Maryland 32 resumes full freeway status open reaching the Baltimore-Washington Parkway (Route 295) interchange. The first exit (Exit 11A) is for northbound traffic to Baltimore and the second exit (Exit 11B) is for southbound traffic to Washington and other beltway cities. Note the pavement changes as westbound Maryland 32 returns to its correct carriageway and resumes its freeway status. Photo taken 10/13/04.
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Maryland 32 continues northwest from Interstate 95 to Savage, Jessup, and junction Interstate 95 (Exits 13A/B). The section of Maryland 32 through Howard County is older and retains concrete carriageways. Pictured here is the left-hand off-ramp onto Interstate 95 southbound. A symmetrical directional-cloverleaf interchange joins the two freeways. Photo taken 09/25/04. |
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Mileage overhead listing the next three interchanges of Maryland 32 west after Interstate 95. Exit 14 serves Broken Land Parkway and Guilford, Exit 15 serves Shaker Drive and Kings Contrivance, and Exit 16 joins Maryland 32 with the U.S. 29 freeway at Atholton. Photo taken 09/25/04. |
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Guillford Road passes underneath Maryland 32 one half mile east of the six-ramp partial-cloverleaf interchange with Broken Land Parkway (Exit 14). Broken Land Parkway constitutes a surface arterial from Maryland 32 northwest to Owen Brown and Columbia. Photo taken 09/25/04. |
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Exit 14 departs Maryland 32 westbound for Broken Land Parkway. Broken Land Parkway ends at Guillford Road just south of the interchange near Gorman Park. Northward the parkway intersects Snowden River Parkway, a north-south surface arterial between Owen Brown and Maryland 100 at Long Reach. Photo taken 09/25/04. |
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Attached to the Broken Land Parkway overpass is an upcoming exits sign for Maryland 32 westbound. A partial-cloverleaf interchange (Exit 15) facilitates the movements between Maryland 32 and Shaker Drive / Eden Brook Drive in 0.75 miles. Photo taken 09/25/04. |
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Entering the Exit 15 interchange with Shaker Drive and Eden Brook Drive. Eden Brook Drive stems north Kings Contrivance to Guillford Road, Old Columbia Road, and junction Maryland 32. The north-south road name changes to Shaker Drive as it crosses over Maryland 32 en route to Atholton.Photo taken 09/25/04. |
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Exit 15 departs Maryland 32 westbound for Shaker Drive west and Eden Brook Drive south. Shaker Drive parallels Maryland 32 west to the U.S. 29 where it turns north as a freeway frontage road. U.S. 29 (Columbia Pike) and Maryland 32 meet at a full-cloverleaf interchange one half mile to the west at Exits 16A/B. Photo taken 09/25/04. |
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Traffic merging onto Maryland 32 west from Exit 15 forms the exit-only lane for U.S. 29 north (Exit 16A). Exit 16A serves interests north for the Columbia Town Center, Ellicott City, and Interstate 70 west of Baltimore. U.S. 29 comprises a full freeway from Maryland 32 northward to its terminus at Maryland 99 (Old Frederick Road). The freeway upgraded from a six-lane surface boulevard during the 1980s and 1990s. Photo taken 09/25/04. |
Page Updated April 12, 2005.
