Interstate 68 - National Freeway

Interstate 68

Interstate 68 follows the National Freeway from the state of West Virginia east to Interstate 70 at Hancock. The highway traverses the Appalachian Mountains across the Maryland panhandle through the city of Cumberland. The 82 mile long route overlaps with U.S. 40 for all but the westernmost 14 miles.

Interstate 68 Maryland Guides

East

West

Constructed in stages between 1963 and 1991 as part of Appalachian Regional Development Corridor E, the National Freeway was formally designated U.S. 48 with approval by the American Association of State Highway Officials on October 26, 1969. As approved by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), U.S. 48 was eventually extended east from Cumberland alongside U.S. 40 to I-70 at Hancock in 1986. An Interstate Highway designation for the National Freeway was sought once it was determined that the National Freeway was a good, toll-free alternate route to the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-70/76).

The Interstate 68 designation was originally reserved for U.S. 50 (John Hanson Highway) between the Capital Beltway (I-95-495) and Annapolis, a distance of 19.5 miles. The initial proposal for I-68 replaced I-97 and I-197 along John Hanson Highway east from I-95 to MD 70 (Rowe Boulevard) outside Annapolis. Renumbering action by AASHTO was withheld on the application for I-68 submitted by the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) on May 12, 1981. Correspondence from AASHTO to MDOT on July 1, 1981 explained:

Your request for the Renumbering of I-97 and I-197 as I-68 has been considered by the Route Numbering Committee at their recent meeting in Dallas, Texas. Action was withheld on this request since the proposal would leave a spur segment with a two-digit number. The Committee requests your further review of this application.

MDOT revised the proposal for Interstate 68 along U.S. 50 (John Hanson Highway) in a letter dated July 30, 1981 to AASHTO:

We are still committed to this change; attached is a revised proposal which corrects the two-digit number spur section, designating I-97 as I-68 and I-197 as I-168.

Ultimately I-68 east from the Capital Beltway to Annapolis was reassigned as Interstate 595, allowing MDOT to utilize I-68 along U.S. 48 (National Freeway) in 1991. Applications establishing I-595 along U.S. 50 and I-68 along U.S. 48 were approved by AASHTO on June 7, 1989.

References:

  1. Blue Bridge. BridgeHunter.com.

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Page Updated Tuesday February 07, 2023.