Maryland

[froggie]

I made the mistake of not using the hill climbing lane on US 1 south of the Conowingo Dam. My tiny little 2.4 L. Toyota 4-cylinder engine wasn't enough to up those hills without having other drivers riding my ass and misusing that lane to pass me.

Maybe you didn't drive it the right way.  My 1.9L Toyota engine never had a problem with those hills when I traveled across the Dam.

[noelbotevera]

Is there a reason why the US 50 freeway east of Annapolis is so substandard? It's at least six lanes, but there's several RIROs and merging lanes suck major balls...I remember stop signs at some onramps. Seems like MDTA was super cheap in upgrading US 50 from an arterial to a freeway, which I guess reinforces the view that the Eastern Shore is irrelevant in Baltimore's eyes.

[Mapmikey]

space issues.  Where there was enough space they made proper interchanges like at MD 8 and VFW Rd.

Take a look at historic aerials of 1982.  Today's RIRO locations were at-grade intersections.

If they had built it as a freeway initially in the 1950s there was more space available (see 1957 aerial) then and it might be a bit better today.

Not sure how Baltimore's view of anything is relevant to statewide road building...

[The Ghostbuster]

Perhaps if the US 50/301 freeway could have been upgraded to Interstate Standards further east, the Interstate 595 designation could have been gone further as well, although that probably wouldn't have improved its chances of being signposted.

[ixnay]

Not sure how Baltimore's view of anything is relevant to statewide road building...

Well, the SHA *is* headquartered in downtown B'more (just off the JFX)...

https://roads.maryland.gov/pages/home.aspx (scroll down for the street address at the bottom)

Of course, the gang at the State House at the other end of I-97 has more than a little say every winter and early spring when the Assembly meets.

[epzik8]

Key Bridge has been greened out on I-97 north at exit 17, per a Reddit user.

[Henry]

Key Bridge has been greened out on I-97 north at exit 17, per a Reddit user.

I'm pretty certain that the same thing has been done on I-95 too.

[noelbotevera]

Not sure how Baltimore's view of anything is relevant to statewide road building...

I read the "what Baltimore wants, Baltimore gets" statement up thread and thought that "y'know, Maryland could care less about the Eastern Shore and this is an example why". I'm guessing this freeway upgrade was in tandem with upgrading US 50 in the Eastern Shore to 4 lanes + building bypasses.

I'm not familiar with the history of Ocean City, but would it be crazy to assume that it was starting to become a huge beach destination on the East Coast during the '80s? This would make sense considering that Atlantic City's casinos weren't in full force yet (the 1980 film Atlantic City shows the state of the place), and would neatly explain US 50's upgrades in the 1970s and '80s (this freeway, Bay Bridge second span, etc).

[Mapmikey]

Not sure how Baltimore's view of anything is relevant to statewide road building...

I read the "what Baltimore wants, Baltimore gets" statement up thread and thought that "y'know, Maryland could care less about the Eastern Shore and this is an example why". I'm guessing this freeway upgrade was in tandem with upgrading US 50 in the Eastern Shore to 4 lanes + building bypasses.

I'm not familiar with the history of Ocean City, but would it be crazy to assume that it was starting to become a huge beach destination on the East Coast during the '80s? This would make sense considering that Atlantic City's casinos weren't in full force yet (the 1980 film Atlantic City shows the state of the place), and would neatly explain US 50's upgrades in the 1970s and '80s (this freeway, Bay Bridge second span, etc).

US 50-301 was upgraded to 4-lanes 1950-52. The only part of current US 50-301 that was not upgraded at that time was the Kent Narrows Bridge (1990).  It was converted to the freeway 1984-91. There was no particular connection to the US 50 bypasses - Easton (late 1940s), Vienna (1990), Salisbury (2001), Berlin (~1960)

There was definitely a study regarding congestion and beach traffic as early as 1981 - https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=ien.35556021234455&seq=3

Ocean City has been a popular destination since before the automobile era.

[epzik8]

Key Bridge has been greened out on I-97 north at exit 17, per a Reddit user.

I'm pretty certain that the same thing has been done on I-95 too.

Yep, I caught a modified Port of Baltimore sign going south a couple of weeks ago.

[ixnay]

Speaking of US 301, I have two things re its Queen Anne's County segment (north of the 50 split), based on my witnessing such today...

When will the Bay Country Welcome Center at 301 and Hayden Clark Road be fully reopened?  All that's open now are the restrooms and vending machines (the parking lot gates are open 6:00a to 6:00p daily).  It's been this way for maybe 2 years.  Yet inside the dark welcome center room, the brochure racks appear fully stocked.

and

Why is MD 405 between the 301 roadways closed?  Folks on MD 405 must "cross" 301 by detouring north to MD 19 or south to the welcome center and double back to resume their journey on 405.  Google traffic says the crossover will be closed until December 2005 yet I see no equipment or activity on the affected section of 405, just orange jersey walls and stony debris.

[froggie]

Why is MD 405 between the 301 roadways closed?  Folks on MD 405 must "cross" 301 by detouring north to MD 19 or south to the welcome center and double back to resume their journey on 405.  Google traffic says the crossover will be closed until December 2005 yet I see no equipment or activity on the affected section of 405, just orange jersey walls and stony debris.

https://roads.maryland.gov/mdotsha/pages/pressreleasedetails.aspx?PageId=818&newsId=5107

https://www.stardem.com/news/local_news/updated-us-301-median-crossover-to-close/article_ad5c3b4c-3fde-11ef-8941-8fb63f4a7586.html

Long story short, "until further notice".  Too many crashes apparently, especially on the southbound 301 side.

[ixnay]

Not sure how Baltimore's view of anything is relevant to statewide road building...

I read the "what Baltimore wants, Baltimore gets" statement up thread and thought that "y'know, Maryland could care less about the Eastern Shore and this is an example why". I'm guessing this freeway upgrade was in tandem with upgrading US 50 in the Eastern Shore to 4 lanes + building bypasses.

I'm not familiar with the history of Ocean City, but would it be crazy to assume that it was starting to become a huge beach destination on the East Coast during the '80s? This would make sense considering that Atlantic City's casinos weren't in full force yet (the 1980 film Atlantic City shows the state of the place), and would neatly explain US 50's upgrades in the 1970s and '80s (this freeway, Bay Bridge second span, etc).

US 50-301 was upgraded to 4-lanes 1950-52. The only part of current US 50-301 that was not upgraded at that time was the Kent Narrows Bridge (1990).  It was converted to the freeway 1984-91. There was no particular connection to the US 50 bypasses - Easton (late 1940s), Vienna (1990), Salisbury (2001), Berlin (~1960)

There was definitely a study regarding congestion and beach traffic as early as 1981 - https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=ien.35556021234455&seq=3

Ocean City has been a popular destination since before the automobile era.

This railroad helped make it so in pre auto days.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore,_Chesapeake_and_Atlantic_Railway

The opening of the Bay Bridge and accompanying highway improvements gave OC and the Delaware beaches a major boost.

Here's OCMD's history according to Wikipedia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_City,_Maryland

[ixnay]

Why is MD 405 between the 301 roadways closed?  Folks on MD 405 must "cross" 301 by detouring north to MD 19 or south to the welcome center and double back to resume their journey on 405.  Google traffic says the crossover will be closed until December 2005 yet I see no equipment or activity on the affected section of 405, just orange jersey walls and stony debris.

https://roads.maryland.gov/mdotsha/pages/pressreleasedetails.aspx?PageId=818&newsId=5107

https://www.stardem.com/news/local_news/updated-us-301-median-crossover-to-close/article_ad5c3b4c-3fde-11ef-8941-8fb63f4a7586.html

Long story short, "until further notice".  Too many crashes apparently, especially on the southbound 301 side.

A few years ago when commuting home from Kent Island, I was detoured by one of those crashes* at 405 and SB 301 which has that curve that apparently creates a blind spot.  Do they have crash stats for 301 and Hayden Clark Rd. where the welcome center (which is still busy with travelers relieving themselves as well as resting truckers)?  SB 301 goes through a similar curve there.

I'd like to know though, where Mr./Ms. Googlemaps got that December 2025 date?

* I commuted to Kent Island from a point north from April 2018 to April 2019, and don't remember if my detour was during the study period.

[epzik8]

Why is MD 405 between the 301 roadways closed?  Folks on MD 405 must "cross" 301 by detouring north to MD 19 or south to the welcome center and double back to resume their journey on 405.  Google traffic says the crossover will be closed until December 2005 yet I see no equipment or activity on the affected section of 405, just orange jersey walls and stony debris.

https://roads.maryland.gov/mdotsha/pages/pressreleasedetails.aspx?PageId=818&newsId=5107

https://www.stardem.com/news/local_news/updated-us-301-median-crossover-to-close/article_ad5c3b4c-3fde-11ef-8941-8fb63f4a7586.html

Long story short, "until further notice".  Too many crashes apparently, especially on the southbound 301 side.

That wording implies to me it will end up becoming permanent.

[74/171FAN]

^I would assume this is permanent.  MDSHA has been creating RCUTS all over this section of US 301 over the years so I see no reason why they would want MD 405 traffic to stay straight at US 301 without turning.

[Revive 755]

Why did they have to renumber I-70S as I-270? I think that the highway leading to our nation's capital should be 2 digits.

I-69 in south Texas doesn't count yet?

I-95 and I-66 say "hi".

One factor might be when I-70S was renumbered to I-270 (1975) Baltimore was larger than Washington population-wise (in 2024 no longer the case).  Also in Frederick heading east, the main line heads to Baltimore; you have to exit off the main line to go to Washington.

Probably more of a factor that Washington DC didn't make as much noise about loosing 70S as there was(?) for ending the I-35 splits?

[Fictional] Maybe the splits should have been kept and taken east/south to rejoin near Annapolis, with I-70N replacing I-97?  Still plenty of I-x70's available in case the portion of I-70 had been completed.

[Mapmikey]

Why did they have to renumber I-70S as I-270? I think that the highway leading to our nation's capital should be 2 digits.

I-69 in south Texas doesn't count yet?

I-95 and I-66 say "hi".

One factor might be when I-70S was renumbered to I-270 (1975) Baltimore was larger than Washington population-wise (in 2024 no longer the case).  Also in Frederick heading east, the main line heads to Baltimore; you have to exit off the main line to go to Washington.

Probably more of a factor that Washington DC didn't make as much noise about loosing 70S as there was(?) for ending the I-35 splits?

[Fictional] Maybe the splits should have been kept and taken east/south to rejoin near Annapolis, with I-70N replacing I-97?  Still plenty of I-x70's available in case the portion of I-70 had been completed.

Actual answer:  From the AASHTO database there is the 1973 "Study to Remove Cardinal Initials..." (emphasis mine)

Item #16 - Maryland & District of Columbia - Baltimore - Washington, D. C. In their previous response to the initial phase of this study the Maryland DOT expressed their desire to eliminate the cardinal initials from routes I-70N and I-70S. It is their recommendation to renumber I-70N as 1-70 and I-70S as 1-370. Since it is becoming apparent that I-70S will not be constructed within the District of Columbia the proper termination point of I-70S would be at its Interchange with 1-495 in the northwest section of the metropolitan area. It is, therefore, recommended that I-70N be changed to 1-70. However, since I-70S connects at both ends to another Interstate route, it is recommended that it be changed to 1-270 rather than 1-370. In addition it is believed that the use of the 1-270 route number would solve the signing and some of the operation problems in this area since the west leg of the present 1-70 - 1-495 Interchange complex is designated as 1-270.

TheOneKEA in post #2691 had the correct factor to consider...

[ixnay]

Actual answer:  From the AASHTO database there is the 1973 "Study to Remove Cardinal Initials..." (emphasis mine)

Re the bolded (about that 1973 study), I'm getting a "404 - File or directory not found" message when I click on it.

[Mapmikey]

Actual answer:  From the AASHTO database there is the 1973 "Study to Remove Cardinal Initials..." (emphasis mine)

Re the bolded (about that 1973 study), I'm getting a "404 - File or directory not found" message when I click on it.

You have to go to the AASHTO site first for some reason.

[Hunty2022]

Key Bridge has been greened out on I-97 north at exit 17, per a Reddit user.

I'm pretty certain that the same thing has been done on I-95 too.

One sign listing 'Key Bridge' as a control city was still there on I-95 NB at its southern I-695 interchange when I passed through it on Saturday. I saw a couple  mentions of it greened-out approaching the interchange too.

[epzik8]

It looks like southbound construction on 95 between 80 and 77 has wrapped up. Sound barriers and bridge work complete, and no backup today.

[mrsman]

Not sure how Baltimore's view of anything is relevant to statewide road building...

Well, the SHA *is* headquartered in downtown B'more (just off the JFX)...

https://roads.maryland.gov/pages/home.aspx (scroll down for the street address at the bottom)

Of course, the gang at the State House at the other end of I-97 has more than a little say every winter and early spring when the Assembly meets.

Baltimore is actually a host to several state gov't agency headquarters.  An unusually high number for where the state is.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_state_agencies_headquartered_in_Baltimore

It kind of makes sense to me in that Baltimore would have more of a population to handle the work force for the gov't as a whole, while Annapolis is to handle the legislators and the governor's immediate staff.  The two are only 30 miles apart.

[epzik8]

Traffic on I-95 south in Aberdeen is the lowest I've seen it in months. It was northbound that was busier today.

[epzik8]

It looks like southbound construction on 95 between 80 and 77 has wrapped up. Sound barriers and bridge work complete, and no backup today.

Well, there was a small backup today at the MD 136 bridge, but still nothing close to the scale it was usually at during construction.