Site Navigation Cecil County Highways Delaware District of Columbia Maryland New Jersey Pennsylvania Virginia West Virginia     Maryland 591 Maryland 591 (Porters Bridge Road / Colora Road) is very interesting in that its still signed as a state route while disjointed by the Octoraro Creek. The western segment (Colora Road) is signed as Maryland 591 East / West while the eastern segment (Porters Bridge Road) carries North / South signage. The route starts and ends along U.S. 1 (Conowingo Road), paralleling Conowingo Road to the south at Richardsmere. The former routing of U.S. 1 is well signed as Maryland 591 with three shields overall posted as of July 2004. A wooden deck truss bridge that once carried U.S. 1 over Octoraro Creek was closed decades ago and removed for safety purposes in the early 2000s. Western Terminus Northern Terminus Road Names Mileage U.S. 1 - near Richardsmere U.S. 1 - near Richardsmere Colora Road, Porters Bridge Road 1.08 Western Terminus - U.S. 1 west of Richardsmere Between U.S. 222 and Maryland 273, U.S. 1 north passes by an old alignment along Porters Bridge Road. Porters Bridge Road is designated as Maryland 591, but it is not signed as such from the mainline. The bridge itself, which crosses the Octoraro Creek, is no longer in service, thus rendering Maryland 591 into a split route on either side of the old bridge. Photo taken 08/11/05. U.S. 1 crosses the Octoraro Creek and then descends to the south end of the Maryland 591 (Porters Bridge Road) and Connelly Road. A Maryland 222 Truck trailblazer directs motorists westward to U.S. 222. To the left is the 0.3-mile western leg of Porters Bridge Road. Photo taken 07/25/04. A closer look at the Maryland 591 eastbound reassurance shield posted on Colora Road as it descends toward the Octoraro Creek. Colora Road itself ends at the Octoraro Creek ahead and resumes east of the waterway at Porters Bridge Road. Photo taken 07/25/04. Northern Terminus - U.S. 1 east of Richardsmere The beginning of Maryland 591 (Porters Bridge Road) as it splits from U.S. 1 at Richards Oak. The segmented state route follows the original U.S. 1 alignment south of Conowingo Road to the former Octoraro Creek crossing. Photo taken 07/25/04. Porters Bridge Road ascends 0.7 miles from the intersection with Colora Road at the former Octoraro Creek crossing to end at U.S. 1 (Conowingo Road) just west of Love Run Road. Photo taken 07/25/04. Maryland 591 2003 Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT) none recorded Source: 2003 Highway Location Reference file for Cecil County (MDSHA) Maryland 591 Guide Maryland 591 East / North Maryland 591 (Colora Road) eastbound is home to a few homes and abandoned vehicles as it descends toward the Octoraro Creek. The narrow roadway ends at a small turn around and guard rail barrier ahead. Photo taken 07/25/04. A fairly new metal guard rail blocks the former bridge approach at the Octoraro Creek. Colora Road crossed the creek and intersected Porters Bridge Road to the south. From there Colora Road travels south 2.3 miles to Colora itself at Liberty Grove Road (former Maryland 269). Photo taken 07/25/04. Take a walk over the guard rail and to the former bridge abutment and the Octoraro Creek comes into view. The southern abutment has succumbed to vegetation and foliage growth much more than the northern one. Photo taken 07/25/04. The same view as in the above photo when the Colora Road truss bridge was still standing. A metal grate was welded to both ends of the bridge to prevent both vehicular and pedestrian traffic from using the bridge. The wooden deck had already fallen to the elements and was vastly unstable with grass growing through some of the planks. Photo taken 01/00. A side view of the former wooden deck truss bridge from just east of the span. Photo taken 01/00. Shifting to the east banks of the Octoraro Creek, Maryland 591 northbound resumes along Porters Bridge Road. A few more homes dot the area to the east of the creek as Maryland 591 ascends back toward U.S. 1 (Conowingo Road). Photo taken 07/25/04. Maryland 591 West / South Maryland 591 southbound reassurance shield posted on Porters Bridge Road westbound after it departs U.S. 1 (Conowingo Road). Porters Bridge Road ends as Colora Road at the Octoraro Creek in 0.7 miles. Photo taken 07/25/04. Descending underneath a large power line set on Maryland 591 (Porters Bridge Road) southbound. Photo taken 07/25/04. The intersection of Maryland 591 (Porters Bridge Road) at Colora Road. Colora Road travels east from Porters Bridge Road to Love Run Road. Love Run Road in turn sinks southward to Vinegar Hill where McCauley Road and Liberty Grove Road (former Maryland 269) intersect. Photo taken 07/25/04. The barricade at the Colora Road northbound approach to the former Octoraro Creek crossing. Photo taken 07/25/04. Page Updated June 3, 2007.