Interstate 495 / Capital Beltway - Outer Loop

Travelers from I-95 south join Interstate 495 west ahead of Exit 28 and MD 650 (New Hampshire Avenue). MD 650 constitutes a north-south arterial joining Takoma Park with White Oak, Colesville and Cloverly.

12/30/12

Reassurance marker posted for Interstate 495 west / outer ahead of the MD 212 (Riggs Road) over crossing at Knollwood.

12/30/12

Just east of the directional cloverleaf interchange (Exit 28) with MD 650 (New Hampshire Avenue) on I-495 west. New Hampshire Avenue stems north from Washington, D.C. through Takoma Park to Langley Park and the Capital Beltway at Hillandale.

12/30/12

Exit 28A departs I-495 west beside Elton Road onto MD 650 (New Hampshire Avenue) north ahead of Powder Mill Road. Powder Mill Road leads east to merge with MD 212 (Riggs Road) at Knollwood. New Hampshire Avenue bends northwest to the White Oak Federal Research Center and U.S. 29 (Columbia Pike). MD 650 extends to MD 108 (Laytonsville Road) at Etchison.

12/30/12

Interstate 495 west formally enters Montgomery County just beyond the Exit 28A gore point. The beltway remains in the county for the remainder of its course in Maryland.

12/30/12

MD 650 (New Hampshire Avenue) ventures south from I-495 (Exit 28B) by Adelphi to Langley Park in Prince Georges County. South into D.C., New Hampshire Avenue heads southwest to intersect U.S. 29 (Georgia Avenue) at the Petworth section of the city.

12/30/12

Interstate 495 & Capital Beltway Outer Loop shield assembly posted after Exit 28. The Capital Beltway trailblazers are generally being phased out.

12/30/12

MD 193 (University Boulevard) continues northwest from MD 650 (New Hampshire Avenue) at Langley Park to meet Interstate 495 at a parclo interchange (Exit 29).

12/30/12

MD 193 (University Boulevard) west provides the connection to U.S. 29 (Colesville Road) north from Interstate 495 west. There is only direct access onto U.S. 29 south from Exit 30.

12/30/12

Older guide signs, from when Exit 29 included two ramps to MD 193, referenced the U.S. 29 connection for Exit 29A. U.S. 29 and University Boulevard cross paths at Four Corners just north of the beltway.

07/11/05

Sound walls reappear along Interstate 495 as the freeway exits Northwest Branch Park between the subdivisions of Franklin Hills and Indiana Spring Village. Exit 29 departs in one quarter mile for MD 193 (University Boulevard).

12/30/12

Interstate 495 westbound at the Exit 29 (former Exit 29A) ramp departure onto MD 193 (University Boulevard). MD 193 continues beyond Four Corners to Wheaton and MD 97 before arcing back southward to Kensington.

07/11/05

12/30/12

A tight loop ramp (former Exit 29B) carried drivers from Interstate 495 west onto MD 193 (University Boulevard) east. This ramp closed by mid-August 2007. Traffic to MD 193 south now turns left at the signalized end of Exit 29 (old Exit 29A).
University Boulevard constitutes a busy surface arterial between Wheaton and Langley Park. MD 193 follows the roadway east to the University of Maryland campus and College Park.

07/11/05

Interstate 495 travels by Montgomery Blair High School and this assembly including the Capital Beltway trailblazer.

12/30/12

Exit 30 consists of a loop ramp onto U.S. 29 (Colesville Road) southbound from Interstate 495 west / outer. U.S. 29 follows a combination of freeway/divided arterial between MD 99 in Mt. Hebron and Silver Spring on the outskirts of Washington.

12/30/12

Colesville Road crosses over the Capital Beltway ahead of Exit 30 to U.S. 29 south. U.S. 29 enters Silver Spring nearby, meeting MD 97 and 410 before entering the capital city. Georgia Avenue carries the route south to Petworth and Howard University in D.C.

12/30/12

Interchange sequence sign listing the distances to Exits 31, 33 and 34 on Interstate 495 west. MD 97 continues Georgia Avenue northwest from U.S. 29 (Colesville) to a three quarter cloverleaf interchange with the Capital Beltway.

12/30/12

Interstate 495 curves between Argyle Park and Sligo Creek Golf Course by this westbound shield assembly.

12/30/12

Interstate 495 west passes through Sligo Creek Park, crossing over both Sligo Creek Parkway and Sligo Creek, on the half mile approach to Exit 31 (MD 97). MD 97 comprises a lengthy route between U.S. 29 in Silver Spring and the Pennsylvania state line, southeast of Gettysburg. Locally MD 97 is a busy arterial through Silver Spring, Wheaton and Olney.

12/30/12

All traffic interests to MD 97 (Georgia Avenue) depart Interstate 495 westbound in unison at Exit 31. MD 97 splits with MD 390 (16th Street) en route to downtown Silver Spring to the south. MD 192 (Forest Glen Road) ties into Georgia Avenue on the north side of Exit 31 from Kensington.

12/30/12

The Mormon Temple at Bethesda rises along the western horizon as Interstate 495 meanders around Rock Creek Park. Seminary Road (former MD 391), the MARC Brunswick Line, and Linden Lane pass over the beltway in the foreground. MD 391 was decommissioned along Seminary Road in 1999.

12/30/12

Interstate 495 curves around the periphery of Rock Creek on the one mile approach to MD 185 (Connecticut Avenue). Connecticut Avenue carries the state route northward from Washington through Chevy Chase and Kensington, meeting the freeway at the six-ramp parclo interchange (Exit 33).

12/30/12

One half mile east of Exit 33 to MD 185 (Connecticut Avenue). MD 185 travels between the District of Columbia and MD 97 at Aspen Hill along all of Connecticut Avenue.

12/30/12

07/11/05

Approaching Exit 33 and MD 185 (Connecticut Avenue) on Interstate 495 west. MD 185 ends 5.6 miles northward at the merge with MD 97 (Georgia Avenue).

12/30/12

Drivers bound for MD 185 (Connecticut Avenue) leave Interstate 495 westbound. MD 185 continues a short distance south to MD 410 (East-West Highway) on the 2.7 mile drive to Chevy Chase Circle at the District line. Connecticut Avenue continues southeast from there to Dupont Circle. Northward, MD 185 heads 1.5 miles to MD 547 (Knowles Avenue) in central Kensington.

12/30/12

Interstate 495 next meets MD 355 (Rockville Pike) and I-270. I-270 provides a freeway link northwest to Rockville, Gaithersburg and Frederick.

08/04/13

Rockville Pike takes MD 355 south from the Capital Beltway to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda.

08/04/13

The Capital Beltway winds through portions of Rock Creek Park toward succeeding exits for MD 355 (Rockville Pike) and I-270 north. MD 355 comprises a heavily traveled arterial south through Bethesda and Friendship Heights to the District of Columbia line. Rockville Pike continues the state route northwest to Garrett Park, Montrose and Rockville.

12/30/12

Exit 34 departs westbound I-495 just ahead of the wye interchange (Exit 35) with Interstate 270. MD 355 serves the Strathmore Music Center and Bethesda North Conference Center among other area points of interest. The state route replaced all of U.S. 240 between Washington and Frederick. I-270 supplanted U.S. 240, which was decommissioned in 1972.¹

08/04/13

A split Rockville Pike (MD 355) passes above I-495 as Exit 35 separates for Interstate 270 west. I-270 travels west initially, meeting MD 187 south of Montrose, before turning northwest to Rockville, Gaithersburg and Frederick.

08/04/13

I-495 continues west toward the merge with I-270 Spur while Interstate 270 branches 33 miles northwest to I-70 and U.S. 40 in Frederick. I-270 historically was designated as Interstate 70S between the Capital Beltway and Frederick.

08/04/13

MD 187 (Old Georgetown Road) loops west of MD 355 (Wisconsin Avenue) through Bethesda to MD 355 (Rockville Pike) at Montrose and Garrett Park. Exchanges connect the surface arterial with both I-495 (Exit 36) and I-270 (Exit 1).

12/30/12

Drivers bound for MD 187 (Old Georgetown Road) leave Interstate 495 westbound via Exit 36. Old Georgetown Road continues north one mile to Interstate 270 and 2.6 miles to MD 355 (Rockville Pike) at Garrett Park. Connections with Democracy Boulevard lead motorists west to Interstate 270 Spur and Cabin John Regional Park.

12/30/12

Older button copy distance sign referencing the mileage to Fairfax and Northern Virginia. Interstate 495 crosses the state line in five miles and reaches Interstate 66 in 11.5 miles.

07/11/05

Entering the wye interchange with Interstate 270 Spur south, westbound drivers along I-495 make a sharp southward turn.

12/30/12

With the addition of traffic from Interstate 270 Spur south, Interstate 495 outer expands to five overall lanes on the approach to MD 190 (Exit 39). MD 190 (River Road) represents the first of the final three off-ramps in Maryland.

12/30/12

Clara Barton Parkway, a limited-access route along the Potomac River, is accessible in the eastbound direction via Exit 40 (Cabin John Parkway south) and in the westbound direction directly from Exit 41.

12/30/12

Exits 39 & 40 depart Interstate 495 south via a two lane ramp near Glen Echo. MD 190 (River Road) follows a multi-lane arterial eastward to Somerset and Friendship Heights before entering the District of Columbia. Cabin John Parkway constitutes a limited-access route between Exit 40 and Clara Barton Parkway east at Glen Echo.

12/30/12

One half mile north of the collector distributor roadway (Exit 39) to MD 190 (River Road) on Interstate 495 south. MD 190 west continues to Campbell Corner and Potomac. The state route travels 15.88 miles overall from Washington west to MD 112 (Seneca Road) at Seneca.

12/30/12

Exit 39 prepares to depart for MD 190 (River Road) from Interstate 495 south. The right lane drops at Exit 40.

12/30/12

Interstate 495 southbound at Exit 39 to MD 190 (River Road). Cabin John Parkway travels southward from Exit 40 along Cabin John Park to directly merge with Clara Barton Parkway south. Clara Barton Parkway continues along the Potomac River to the Chain Bridge and Canal Road in west Washington. Like other DC area Parkways, commercial trucks are prohibited along both roadways.

12/30/12

Cabin John Parkway stems southeast from I-495 via a wye interchange at Exit 40. Designated as I-495X by MDOT, there are no interchanges along the parkway to its merge with Clara Barton Parkway. Access to Glen Echo is provided at Clara Barton Parkway via a u-turn ramp for MacArthur Boulevard near the Clara Barton House and MD 614 (Goldsboro Road).

12/30/12

A three quarter cloverleaf interchange joins Interstate 495 with MD 190 (River Road) at Exit 39. A loop ramp adds traffic from River Road westbound, making the exit into a c/d roadway with return access to the Capital Beltway south. River Road otherwise intersects MD 188 (Wilson Lane) in 1.2 miles at Glen Echo.

07/11/05

The c/d roadway for Exit 39 includes a second opportunity to access Cabin John Parkway southward for drivers originating from MD 190. An original button copy overhead, since replaced, directed drivers back onto Interstate 495 south here.

07/11/05

Interstate 495 Maryland shield that was posted on the southbound collector distributor lane at Exit 39 (since removed). This was one of the few remaining Interstate 495 Maryland shields left on the Maryland portion of the beltway in 2001, with very few, if any, remaining by 2007.

10/14/01

Continuing south, Interstate 495 bends westward around Cabin John to Carderock and a directional cloverleaf interchange (Exit 41) with Clara Barton Parkway. Access is only available to Clara Barton Parkway west to Cropley and Great Falls from the outer loop.

12/30/12

Persimmon Tree Road (former MD 191) crosses over Interstate 495 at the Carderock area, one half mile north of Exit 41. Clara Barton Parkway west merges with MacArthur Boulevard in 1.75 miles with MacArthur Boulevard heading back east to Carderock and Persimmon Tree Road. MD 191 was truncated from Persimmion Tree Road northward to MD 190 (River Road) in 1999.

12/30/12

Exit 41 carries drivers onto Clara Barton Parkway westbound at the MacArthur Boulevard under crossing. The parkway concludes at the merge with MacArthur Boulevard; MacArthur Boulevard continues 3.4 miles west to Cropley, Truxton, and Great Falls alongside the C & O Canal National Historic Park.

12/30/12

A collector distributor roadway departs Interstate 495 at the south end of the Potomac River crossing into Virginia. Exit 43 provides access to the George Washington Memorial Parkway south; Exit 44 joins the Capital Beltway with SR 193 (Georgetown Pike). Like Clara Barton Parkway, George Washington Parkway straddles the Potomac River along a limited access route that is not open to commercial trucks.

12/30/12

A nondescript eight lane bridge spans the Potomac River between the Bethesda and McLean areas. Named the American Legion Bridge, it opened in December 1962.²

07/11/05