Why is Baltimore Signed Along US 301?

[roadman65]

https://maps.app.goo.gl/HThFEcmDpK5Mx8VU9?g_st=ac
I see Baltimore is listed this far south along US 301. Considering even on I-95 the city don't get mentioned until Springfield, this is very odd.

US 301, also, hasn't served Baltimore either since the Bay Bridge was opened with US 301 being realigned. This sign is so outdated.

[roadman65]

As far south as the Richmond area, all NB mileage signs along US 301 use Baltimore as final control city along its mileage signs.

Nearby Interstate 95 uses Washington and don't start with Baltimore until the Springfield interchange.

The fact is all NB US 301 mileage signs up to the Potomac River reference Baltimore as main control city.  So Baltimore is used further south on US 301 than I-95 despite it don't even serve the city unlike I-95 does.

Why is that city chosen by VDOT and not Annapolis which US 301 does serve or even Waldorf would make more sense.

[Alex]

Because U.S. 301 orginally ended there and distance signs have been carbon copied over time.

[1995hoo]

There is also some practical benefit to advising long-distance traffic of the alternate route to avoid the DC area. And I'd suggest that Baltimore makes more sense than Waldorf in terms of being a place for which traffic is actually bound.

[Rothman]

Look at the overall transportation system.  Makes good sense given where you can go from the Potomac.

[NJRoadfan]

US-301 might not go to Baltimore, but the Robert S. Crain Highway (historic MD-3) does.

[WillWeaverRVA]

US-301 might not go to Baltimore, but the Robert S. Crain Highway (historic MD-3) does.

Pretty much. Baltimore is fine as a control city since you can easily make the connection using MD 3 and I-97.

[Roadgeekteen]

If you go roughly straight on the road it leads to Baltimore. US 301 takes a right turn onto US 50. Plus it's always good to take traffic out of the very congested DC area.

[Henry]

Besides, it's not the only instance of a control city listed on a route that does not even go there. Most US routes out West are the same way, especially when their former alignments were replaced by an Interstate.

[roadman65]

No I don't personally have issues with its signing. I just think it's odd that they chose Baltimore.

I was wondering why it's kept.  US 301 was rerouted over seventy years ago, and usually they don't keep old signs up this long. Many signing changes have taken place over the decades including Baltimore removed from MD 3 at Bowie. In 1997 I remember the signs at the 301 and 50 intersection were directing Baltimore Traffic to stay on 50/301 to I-97 and signed MD 3 for Crofton instead. 

That shows how signing practices have did change somewhat.

BTW I was one that suggested here in fictional highways that I-97 should be extended past Annapolis and follow US 301 into Virginia and connect to I-95 at Ruther Glen or follow US 301 to I-295 at Richmond as a proposed bypass of DC. So I'm for bypassing Northern VA and Prince George County, MD.

As far as Waldorf as a control, it wasn't a suggestion.  I couldn't find another major city along 301 other than Annapolis.

Be glad Highway Star didn't notice this, or his posts would be at three pages already.

[Mapmikey]

https://maps.app.goo.gl/HThFEcmDpK5Mx8VU9?g_st=ac
I see Baltimore is listed this far south along US 301. Considering even on I-95 the city don't get mentioned until Springfield, this is very odd.

US 301, also, hasn't served Baltimore either since the Bay Bridge was opened with US 301 being realigned. This sign is so outdated.

There also used to be a Baltimore sign where US 301 left US 1.  This is not egregious...301 is/was the alternative to reach Baltimore without going to DC.  The only reason it might not be anymore is that 301 through Southern Maryland is a slog, not because 301 was rerouted out of Baltimore.  There are also Richmond signs on I-97 and MD 3 out of Baltimore.

[TheOneKEA]

MDOT also uses Richmond as a control city on parts of US 301 going south, and in one spot on I-97 south in Millersville it advises long-distance traffic that it can reach US 301 by either continuing on I-97 south to US 50 or by diverging onto MD 3 south.

I believe it has been kept for the reasons cited in the thread, and I also believe that it has been kept due to institutional inertia that has never been successfully contested. The MdTA has a similar degree of institutional inertia due to its use of New York as the control city for I-95 north between Baltimore and the DE state line.

[roadman65]

Well before the interstates, US 301 was a bypass of the DC area. People left US 1 at Baltimore and returned at Richmond.  There was no Beltway then.

I haven't been on US 301 between Bowling Green, VA and Bowie, MD since 1997. So I can't vouch for the sprawl that's been added to that corridor since then, but I can say it was changed since 1982 when I was there previously.

[roadman65]

That might be something. Inertia like the Garden State Parkway kept the Holland Tunnel for US 22 at Exit 140 for many years after I-78 was completed that provides the better route.

They finally saw that Hillside is more appropriate as a control city than the river crossing and changed it.  However, being US 22 was stoplight free it never was urgent to update the signs pronto.  In fact when I lived in Clark, NJ using the Parkway to Route 22 was how I went to the Holland Tunnel.

Yes, this 301 scenario isn't the only place something like this happened. I'm sure many other examples exist.

[Rothman]

I don't see how US 301's current alignment makes Baltimore inappropriate northbound.  Old alignments or routings aside, heading across the Nice Bridge, it's a pretty direct line to Baltimore.

[Rothman]

We need two simultaneous discussions on Baltimore as a control city on US 301?

[MATraveler128]

I like it when states do this. Baltimore makes perfect sense to advise people to avoid DC.

[74/171FAN]

This really should have just been one thread.   -Mark

[roadman65]

I like it when states do this. Baltimore makes perfect sense to advise people to avoid DC.

Read post # 8.

Also someone hinted that there is a lot of stop and go in MD. Plus I even saw build up of bedroom communities in Waldorf there in 1997. I haven't been that way since, so I can't say how much congestion ( or if there is any now) is there.

Plus the guide signs don't direct people to Baltimore. It's the post junction mileage signs that use it, and just was curious to why. Not stating that it's so wrong VDOT should be ashamed.

And why is Rothman here when Virginia is a long way from New York.  Considering he gets upset when people criticize the viaduct removal on I-81 not realizing that folks out there don't believe it's a good idea and treat them like an enemy of morality, he shouldn't be mad at someone thinking it's odd to use a certain city on a sign.

Heck there are many who don't like New York on I-95 north of Baltimore and Wilmington on the NJ Turnpike South of Camden.  Some are very urgent that it's removed at once in their tone.  I'm not that urgent. It can stay as far as I'm concerned.

[sprjus4]

This really should have just been one thread.   -Mark

You accidentally crossed in two posts about a warning sign for a subdivision in here that wasn't related to the Baltimore discussion, just FYI.

[LilianaUwU]

Better question: why is Baltimore signed along I-70? That one's a brand new question, never argued about before ever.

[74/171FAN]

This really should have just been one thread.   -Mark

You accidentally crossed in two posts about a warning sign for a subdivision in here that wasn't related to the Baltimore discussion, just FYI.

Thank you.  I moved those posts back to the Virginia thread.  -Mark

[1995hoo]

....

And why is Rothman here when Virginia is a long way from New York.  ...

The same could be said about a poster whose profile refers to Lakeland, Florida, which is a much longer way from Virginia. Just saying.

Heck there are many who don't like New York on I-95 north of Baltimore and Wilmington on the NJ Turnpike South of Camden.  Some are very urgent that it's removed at once in their tone.  I'm not that urgent. It can stay as far as I'm concerned.

Now I have this urge to tweet at the various highway departments in Virginia and Maryland to say their signs are OK because roadman65 gave them permission.

[epzik8]

I'm familiar with all of 301 north of Richmond, and even I didn't know mentions of Baltimore began all the way down there. I love the visibility Baltimore gets from it, though.

[roadman65]

I'm familiar with all of 301 north of Richmond, and even I didn't know mentions of Baltimore began all the way down there. I love the visibility Baltimore gets from it, though.

I need to get US 301 between Richmond and Bowling Green as well as South of Petersburg and I will have the route clinched from Sarasota to Glasgow, DE.

Oh yes now the tollway as US 301 don't go to Glasgow anymore. So in reality I need three parts now.

Yes you can be unaware of things and drive a road constantly. It can happen.

....

And why is Rothman here when Virginia is a long way from New York.  ...

The same could be said about a poster whose profile refers to Lakeland, Florida, which is a much longer way from Virginia. Just saying.

I'm not saying that he don't have a right to post here. Just that he's usually on NY related threads acting like an MOD on here or trolling certain individuals there, and I asked a rhetorical question. ( Notice the period over the question mark)


1995, let me ask you this. What did I did I do to you lately that makes you critical of me? I must of missed something cause we were always cool. We even PM a few times over common user issues especially that Ethan Character.

And yes people do get anal over certain things on here. So someone don't like certain signing practices, some jump all over the user. Someone posts a proposal on Fictional that has no merit and we chastise that user for even thinking the idea. I also recall arguments over Limon being used on I-70.

All I did was ask why Baltimore is used on that route and my answer was given to me. I'm satisfied with that answer.