MD 4 and its unusual median widths

[TheOneKEA]

The freeway segment of MD 4 in eastern PG County has always fascinated me because it embodies so many disparate styles of freeway construction. Of note in particular is the exceptionally wide medians to be found in several areas, for no apparent reason based on the lie of the land itself. Are there any online resources that explain why the MD 4 freeway has such an unusual median configuration or is such info only available in the SHA archives?

[cpzilliacus]

The freeway segment of MD 4 in eastern PG County has always fascinated me because it embodies so many disparate styles of freeway construction. Of note in particular is the exceptionally wide medians to be found in several areas, for no apparent reason based on the lie of the land itself. Are there any online resources that explain why the MD 4 freeway has such an unusual median configuration or is such info only available in the SHA archives?

Md. 4 between Ritchie-Marlboro Road and the Patuxent River was built in the late 1960's or early 1970's - for a considerable time, the freeway segment ended at the (former) half-interchange at Ritchie-Marlboro Road, and traffic had to follow Marlboro Pike from there to Dower House Road, where there is still an at-grade (and very wreck-prone) signalized intersection. 

Not sure why the median is so wide between Ritchie-Marlboro, except that it had to be to accommodate the ramp from Ritchie-Marlboro to the southbound side of Md. 4, but that does not explain the (long) wide section of that forested median.

[roadman65]

Well, in the case of MD 3, the wide median made it easy to build everyone's favorite short 2 digit interstate without destroying the original arterial.  I doubt that here, but if MDSHA wants to upgrade the MD 4 corridor because of growth, they have plenty of room to do it with.