Maryland

[Mapmikey]

Is this the last known example of this style of Maryland state route marker in the field?

This is former MD 211 at MD 501 in Chillum -  https://goo.gl/maps/QcPk6UmsMwmfB5dP7

There were 3 others I knew of that made it to the GMSV era -
MD 3 leaving MD 450 - https://goo.gl/maps/ibiwZV3p8ASrfBCh9
MD 49 from its former east end in Cumberland - https://goo.gl/maps/Fjg9YmpFsuSYQzPQ7
MD 355 from MD 144 EB - https://goo.gl/maps/jK5RYVs785HV3z6r6

Through Mike Pruitt's site I am aware of at least 3 more that made it to GMSV -
MD 500 from MD 501 -  https://goo.gl/maps/m9QucDxvTnRxRA9y5
501 EB leaving 211 - https://goo.gl/maps/TjLAnogW2TaQyMT88
501 WB leaving 211 - https://goo.gl/maps/e7e3RdxoZEaFVX6E8

I can think of two others I've seen but did not make it to GMSV...a MD 85 shield in Frederick and a MD 223 shield at its south end.

[Alps]

Is this the last known example of this style of Maryland state route marker in the field?

This is former MD 211 at MD 501 in Chillum -  https://goo.gl/maps/QcPk6UmsMwmfB5dP7

There were 3 others I knew of that made it to the GMSV era -
MD 3 leaving MD 450 - https://goo.gl/maps/ibiwZV3p8ASrfBCh9
MD 49 from its former east end in Cumberland - https://goo.gl/maps/Fjg9YmpFsuSYQzPQ7
MD 355 from MD 144 EB - https://goo.gl/maps/jK5RYVs785HV3z6r6

Through Mike Pruitt's site I am aware of at least 3 more that made it to GMSV -
MD 500 from MD 501 -  https://goo.gl/maps/m9QucDxvTnRxRA9y5
501 EB leaving 211 - https://goo.gl/maps/TjLAnogW2TaQyMT88
501 WB leaving 211 - https://goo.gl/maps/e7e3RdxoZEaFVX6E8

I can think of two others I've seen but did not make it to GMSV...a MD 85 shield in Frederick and a MD 223 shield at its south end.

There are a few hanging on in Baltimore, I believe.

[cpzilliacus]

Is this the last known example of this style of Maryland state route marker in the field?

This is former MD 211 at MD 501 in Chillum -  https://goo.gl/maps/QcPk6UmsMwmfB5dP7

These date to the 1960's.  Many were installed as part of new freeway interchanges such as the Capital Beltway.  Most have been gone for a long time.

[BrianP]

Here's one that still stands for MD 118 north.  You can see the south sign in the older streetview images. It's from about the late 90's when the new 118 alignment was completed.

Interestingly coming from the opposite direction you see a old 2-digit 118 sign.

Here's one for MD 27.

I remember seeing more of the black border route shields in the early aughts that seemed to be recent installs.  But many are gone.  I'll keep an eye out for more.

[Mapmikey]

Not talking about that type of black border signs, of which there are plenty.

Talking about the black border signs without the word Maryland and would be square for a 3-digit route.

[BrianP]

Not talking about that type of black border signs, of which there are plenty.

Talking about the black border signs without the word Maryland and would be square for a 3-digit route.

The ones that I knew of have been being replaced over the years.  So they don't seem to be plenty anymore.  Were they even in widespread use?  How about other areas of the state?

[cpzilliacus]

Were they even in widespread use?  How about other areas of the state?

They were once quite common as Interstates opened in the 1960's.  I am speaking of I-495, I-695, and I-95 (JFK Highway toll road section).

[epzik8]

MDTA is holding a public meeting about the northern extension of I-95's express toll lanes into Harford County. The extension will reach the Bynum Run bridge between MD 24 and MD 543.The project will also include improvements along MD 24 up to Singer Road. Here are the meeting materials:
https://mdta.maryland.gov/sites/default/files/Files/I95ETLNB/2021-020421_MD24-924%20Virtual%20Meeting.pdf

[jeffandnicole]

MDTA is holding a public meeting about the northern extension of I-95's express toll lanes into Harford County. The extension will reach the Bynum Run bridge between MD 24 and MD 543.The project will also include improvements along MD 24 up to Singer Road. Here are the meeting materials:
https://mdta.maryland.gov/sites/default/files/Files/I95ETLNB/2021-020421_MD24-924%20Virtual%20Meeting.pdf

I-95/MD 24 has got to be the most frequently reconstructed interchange in the state. 

[TheOneKEA]

MDTA is holding a public meeting about the northern extension of I-95's express toll lanes into Harford County. The extension will reach the Bynum Run bridge between MD 24 and MD 543.The project will also include improvements along MD 24 up to Singer Road. Here are the meeting materials:
https://mdta.maryland.gov/sites/default/files/Files/I95ETLNB/2021-020421_MD24-924%20Virtual%20Meeting.pdf

I-95/MD 24 has got to be the most frequently reconstructed interchange in the state.

And this latest iteration is rather unusual, and I wouldn't be surprised if it has to be altered again when the next stage of the ETLs is designed. Hopefully it will have pedestrian and/or cyclist facilities of some sort, so that people can get across I-95 safely.

The plans don't make it clear though if both ETL carriage ways are being built at the interchange or if only the northbound ETL carriage way is being built.

[Alex4897]

MDTA is holding a public meeting about the northern extension of I-95's express toll lanes into Harford County. The extension will reach the Bynum Run bridge between MD 24 and MD 543.The project will also include improvements along MD 24 up to Singer Road. Here are the meeting materials:
https://mdta.maryland.gov/sites/default/files/Files/I95ETLNB/2021-020421_MD24-924%20Virtual%20Meeting.pdf

I-95/MD 24 has got to be the most frequently reconstructed interchange in the state.

And this latest iteration is rather unusual, and I wouldn't be surprised if it has to be altered again when the next stage of the ETLs is designed. Hopefully it will have pedestrian and/or cyclist facilities of some sort, so that people can get across I-95 safely.

The plans don't make it clear though if both ETL carriage ways are being built at the interchange or if only the northbound ETL carriage way is being built.

It almost looks as if they're leaving themselves space for building the SB ones at a later date, but getting as much done and out of the way now as they can. The new MD 24 bridge has the space for shifting the SB I-95 mainline northward to make room for an extra two lanes, and they've got the SB express entrance written in but unopened, similar to the ramps at MD 43. In the meantime, I'm assuming the hashed purple fill is just pavement reconstruction.

I'm a bit surprised though, didn't they say they were only building one northbound express lane for now?

[epzik8]

MDTA is holding a public meeting about the northern extension of I-95's express toll lanes into Harford County. The extension will reach the Bynum Run bridge between MD 24 and MD 543.The project will also include improvements along MD 24 up to Singer Road. Here are the meeting materials:
https://mdta.maryland.gov/sites/default/files/Files/I95ETLNB/2021-020421_MD24-924%20Virtual%20Meeting.pdf

I-95/MD 24 has got to be the most frequently reconstructed interchange in the state.

And this latest iteration is rather unusual, and I wouldn't be surprised if it has to be altered again when the next stage of the ETLs is designed. Hopefully it will have pedestrian and/or cyclist facilities of some sort, so that people can get across I-95 safely.

The plans don't make it clear though if both ETL carriage ways are being built at the interchange or if only the northbound ETL carriage way is being built.

It almost looks as if they're leaving themselves space for building the SB ones at a later date, but getting as much done and out of the way now as they can. The new MD 24 bridge has the space for shifting the SB I-95 mainline northward to make room for an extra two lanes, and they've got the SB express entrance written in but unopened, similar to the ramps at MD 43. In the meantime, I'm assuming the hashed purple fill is just pavement reconstruction.

I'm a bit surprised though, didn't they say they were only building one northbound express lane for now?

That's what I've heard as well.

[epzik8]

Hey, to what extent does the State Highway Administration plow roads in its inventory? I just saw a snowplow driver past my place in Aberdeen on MD 22 that was operated by a private company. This is right at the APG gate and my road is taken care of by municipal trucks.

[cpzilliacus]

Hey, to what extent does the State Highway Administration plow roads in its inventory? I just saw a snowplow driver past my place in Aberdeen on MD 22 that was operated by a private company. This is right at the APG gate and my road is taken care of by municipal trucks.

MDOT/SHA uses many contractor plows and drivers on its entire system statewide.  Sometimes with one SHA truck leading a plow line, but not always (since SHA  has relatively few dump trucks with tandem drive axles, but most of the contractor trucks have tandem drives and some have "extra" drop axles).

According to the 2018 Highway Location Reference for Harford County, MD-22 (Aberdeen Thruway) is state-maintained almost up to the gate into APG - SHA maintenance ends at E Bel Air Avenue/Research Boulevard, about a block before the gate.  So it may be that the contractor truck you observed was working for SHA (in general, in Maryland, the state maintains roads with route numbers even within corporate limits of municipalities, though there are exceptions [the big one being Baltimore City where SHA maintains no roads or streets]).

Compare and contrast with the MDTA, which almost never uses contractor trucks for plowing, salting and sanding of its roads (that would include all of I-95 from Baltimore City to the Delaware line, all of I-395, I-895/I-895B/I-895A, MD-200, I-695 [really MD-695 but signed as I-695 crossing the FSK Bridge and long approach sections on both sides], U.S. 50/U.S. 301 crossing the WPL (Chesapeake Bay) Bridge, U.S. 40 crossing the Hatem Bridge and U.S. 301 crossing the HWN Bridge over the Potomac River.

[cb98]

Is this the last known example of this style of Maryland state route marker in the field?

This is former MD 211 at MD 501 in Chillum -  https://goo.gl/maps/QcPk6UmsMwmfB5dP7

Drove by this on Friday, the MD 501 marker and the leftover MD 211 marker just south of MD 212 are both still there.

[Bitmapped]

Hey, to what extent does the State Highway Administration plow roads in its inventory? I just saw a snowplow driver past my place in Aberdeen on MD 22 that was operated by a private company. This is right at the APG gate and my road is taken care of by municipal trucks.

MDOT/SHA uses many contractor plows and drivers on its entire system statewide.  Sometimes with one SHA truck leading a plow line, but not always (since SHA  has relatively few dump trucks with tandem drive axles, but most of the contractor trucks have tandem drives and some have "extra" drop axles).

At least on I-68, most of the plow trucks you see are contractors rather than SHA. My experience, at least in Garrett County, is that the plows on 2-lane roads are normally SHA, and they're often beefier plow rigs with things like hydraulically controlled side-wing plows for also getting shoulders. The contractors normally just seem to have a single blade mounted on front of their trucks.

[froggie]

My general experience when I lived there a decade ago is that a majority of drivers doing the plowing in the DC area, both for SHA *AND* VDOT, were contractors instead of state employees.  I don't recall what the situation was for DDOT.

[cpzilliacus]

My general experience when I lived there a decade ago is that a majority of drivers doing the plowing in the DC area, both for SHA *AND* VDOT, were contractors instead of state employees.  I don't recall what the situation was for DDOT.

VDOT has used contractors only for Interstate maintenance since about 2007 or 2008.

They use a combination of contractors and VDOT equipment for non-Interstate roads.

MDOT/SHA uses a combination of state and contractor equipment for state-maintained roads except those that are toll maintenance.

MDTA uses in-house equipment and personnel for its roads.

DDOT uses a combination of in-house and contractor equipment.

NPS uses in-house equipment and personnel for its parkways.

[epzik8]

Last night I logged on to the virtual public meeting hosted by MDTA regarding the construction of the MD 24 auxiliary lane between I-95 and north of Singer Road as part of the I-95 ETL northbound extension. These are the notes I took:

• A 275-space park and ride is under construction at MD 924 and Woodsdale Road. It will have bicycle and transit facilities and is slated to open this summer. This will presumably replace the park and ride further south along MD 24 northbound approaching Edgewood Road and Van Bibber Road.
• MD 24's interchange with I-95 is the 17th-most congested in Maryland.
• Backups on MD 24 between Singer Road and MD 924/Tollgate Road would reach I-95 by 2025 without these improvements.
• A DMS will be placed on MD 24 south at the MD 924/Tollgate interchange.
• The Singer Road traffic signal will require modifications. Someone asked whether a flyover would be added here; the MDTA reps said no.
• MDTA studied noise-prone areas along MD 24 between MD 924/Tollgate and just south of Wheel Road, the next traffic signal north of Singer. There is a possibility for noise walls in the future along northbound MD 24 paralleling Trellis Lane and on southbound MD 24 approaching the MD 924/Tollgate ramp.
• Before the existing ETLs were constructed from Moravia Road in east Baltimore to roughly MM 68 north of MD 43 in White Marsh, this segment of I-95 was 64th out of 253 of the worst bottlenecks in the country.
• Improvements are slated in the future along the rest of MD 24 between the north end of the auxiliary lane past Singer Road and US 1, as well as along the Bel Air Bypass segment of US 1. The reps did not specify these improvements.
• Someone asked about whether improvements would be made to movements from the Walmart on Constant Friendship to Tollgate, the ramp to MD 24 south and the ramp from MD 24 south to I-95 south. They stated that this would be part of the southbound ETL extension for I-95, which is currently without funding.
• Someone pointed out the congestion that often takes place on MD 24 between the Wheel Road and Bel Air South Parkway traffic signals. MDTA says any solutions to this would be part of a completely separate project.
• No tolls will be charged for the MD 24 auxiliary lane, although MDTA pushed for drivers to obtain an E-ZPass transponder for usage on the I-95 ETLs.
• Only drivers coming from the ETLs on I-95 will encounter a traffic signal at MD 24.
• Among the 50-plus-year-old bridges being reconstructed on I-95 along the project area, the Clayton Road overpass has already begun reconstruction.
• MD 24 to Singer Road will be repaved.
• The project will be advertised starting in the summer of 2022, with construction to begin in the winter of 2022-23.
• I asked a question regarding movements between both directions of I-95, MD 24 north and MD 924/Tollgate. They said these will be largely unchanged, but will be accommodated for safety.
• Someone asked about the possibility of a DMS on MD 24 north that would advertise travel times to points in the Bel Air area such as the US 1 bypass. MDTA said this is not under consideration nor is it a priority. However, I think this is a good idea.

[roadwaywiz95]

Our next installment in the "Virtual Tour" series is scheduled to take place on Saturday (2/13) at 6 PM ET. Come join me and members of the AARoads community as we profile Corridor E of the Appalachian Development Highway System (Interstate 68) and discuss the history and features of this highway all while enjoying a real-time video trip along the length of the highway between Morgantown, WV and Hancock, MD.

A link to the event location can be found below and we look forward to seeing you in attendance:

[74/171FAN]

From MDOT SHA: MDOT SHA COMPLETES I-81 BRIDGE PROJECT AT MARYLAND/WEST VIRGINIA LINE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY

For the record, for those that have watched roadwaywiz's Virtual Tour of I-68 (ADHS Corridor E), this is tempting me to go to Cumberland, MD, next weekend to finish WV 9 and do MD 51 after driving the new bridge.

[noelbotevera]

From MDOT SHA: MDOT SHA COMPLETES I-81 BRIDGE PROJECT AT MARYLAND/WEST VIRGINIA LINE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY

For the record, for those that have watched roadwaywiz's Virtual Tour of I-68 (ADHS Corridor E), this is tempting me to go to Cumberland, MD, next weekend to finish WV 9 and do MD 51 after driving the new bridge.

Good, but is it 6 lanes? Last I recall, WV has their section up to 6 lanes between the MD line and Martinsburg - with construction south of there.

Interested in how they'll tackle the I-70 interchange because it is a mess.

[74/171FAN]

From MDOT SHA: MDOT SHA COMPLETES I-81 BRIDGE PROJECT AT MARYLAND/WEST VIRGINIA LINE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY

For the record, for those that have watched roadwaywiz's Virtual Tour of I-68 (ADHS Corridor E), this is tempting me to go to Cumberland, MD, next weekend to finish WV 9 and do MD 51 after driving the new bridge.

Good, but is it 6 lanes? Last I recall, WV has their section up to 6 lanes between the MD line and Martinsburg - with construction south of there.

Interested in how they'll tackle the I-70 interchange because it is a mess.

Yes it is 6 lanes up to Exit 1 in MD (MD 63/MD 68) now.

[TheOneKEA]

From MDOT SHA: MDOT SHA COMPLETES I-81 BRIDGE PROJECT AT MARYLAND/WEST VIRGINIA LINE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY

For the record, for those that have watched roadwaywiz's Virtual Tour of I-68 (ADHS Corridor E), this is tempting me to go to Cumberland, MD, next weekend to finish WV 9 and do MD 51 after driving the new bridge.

Good, but is it 6 lanes? Last I recall, WV has their section up to 6 lanes between the MD line and Martinsburg - with construction south of there.

Interested in how they'll tackle the I-70 interchange because it is a mess.

My expectation is that two of the highest-utilized loop ramps will be replaced with flyovers.

[froggie]

^ More likely, they'll convert the highest-utilized loop and its reciprocal into flyovers.  That would eliminate the need for weaving and C/D roads.