Maryland Route 320 (MD 320) is a
state highway in the U.S. state of
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
. Known as Piney Branch Road, the highway runs from
Eastern Avenue at the
District of Columbia
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
boundary in
Takoma Park
Takoma Park is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is a suburb of Washington, and part of the Washington metropolitan area. Founded in 1883 and incorporated in 1890, Takoma Park, informally called " Azalea City", is a Tree ...
north to
MD 650 in
Adelphi. MD 320 is a southwest–northeast highway that connects Takoma Park and
Silver Spring in southeastern
Montgomery County with Adelphi in far western
Prince George's County
)
, demonym = Prince Georgian
, ZIP codes = 20607–20774
, area codes = 240, 301
, founded date = April 23
, founded year = 1696
, named for = Prince George of Denmark
, leader_title = Executive
, leader_name = Angela D. Alsobrook ...
. The state highway originally extended from downtown Silver Spring to
White Oak
The genus ''Quercus'' contains about 500 species, some of which are listed here. The genus, as is the case with many large genera, is divided into subgenera and sections. Traditionally, the genus ''Quercus'' was divided into the two subgenera ''C ...
and connected with
U.S. Route 29
U.S. Route 29 (US 29) is a north–south United States highway that runs for from Pensacola, Florida to the western suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland in the Southern United States, connecting the Florida Panhandle to the Baltimore-Washington me ...
(US 29) at both ends. The Silver Spring–Adelphi portion of the highway was constructed by 1910. The segment through Takoma Park and the Adelphi–White Oak segment, which later became MD 650, were built in the early 1930s; the Takoma Park portion was built as MD 513. MD 320 was widened over its whole length in the late 1940s and reduced to its present course in the mid-1950s.
Route description
MD 320 begins at the intersection of Piney Branch Road and Eastern Avenue at the District of Columbia boundary in the city of Takoma Park. Piney Branch Road continues southwest into Washington, where it immediately passes under
CSX
CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The railroad operates approximately 21,000 route miles () of track. ...
's
Metropolitan Subdivision
The Metropolitan Subdivision is a railroad line owned and operated by CSX Transportation in the District of Columbia and the U.S. state of Maryland. The 79-mile line runs from Washington, D.C., northwest to Weverton, Maryland, along the form ...
railroad line and the
Washington Metro's
Red Line. Eastern Avenue provides access to the
Takoma station on the Red Line and the
Takoma Park Historic District to the southeast; the street also leads to the Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus of
Montgomery College
Montgomery College (MC) is a public community college in Montgomery County, Maryland. Founded officially in 1946 as Montgomery Junior College, its name comes from the county in which it is located. The earliest start date that can be contribute ...
to the northwest. MD 320 heads northeast as a narrow two-lane undivided road. The highway expands as it veers north at
one-way northbound Chestnut Avenue and intersects MD 410 (Philadelphia Avenue). The highway curves northeast and gains a center turn lane as it leaves the city of Takoma Park and passes west of
Takoma Park Middle School
Takoma Park is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is a suburb of Washington, and part of the Washington metropolitan area. Founded in 1883 and incorporated in 1890, Takoma Park, informally called "Azalea City", is a Tree Ci ...
.
MD 320 parallels the city limits to Mississippi Avenue, where the highway fully enters the
unincorporated area
An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...
of Silver Spring. MD 320 intersects Sligo Avenue and Dale Drive, then descends into the valley of
Sligo Creek
Sligo Creek is a free-flowing tributary of the Northwest Branch of the Anacostia River in Maryland. (The Anacostia, in turn, feeds into the Potomac River and eventually empties into the Atlantic Ocean via Chesapeake Bay.) The creek is approximat ...
. The highway crosses the creek and intersects
Sligo Creek Parkway and the
Sligo Creek Trail. At the top of its climb out of the creek valley, MD 320 intersects Flower Avenue, which was formerly
MD 787. The highway continues east as a four-lane road with a
center left-turn lane
A reversible lane (British English: tidal flow) is a lane in which traffic may travel in either direction, depending on certain conditions. Typically, it is meant to improve traffic flow during rush hours, by having overhead traffic lights and li ...
, crossing Long Branch before intersecting
MD 193 (University Boulevard). Beyond MD 193, MD 320 descends into the valley of
Northwest Branch. The highway meets the northern end of Carroll Avenue, which leads south to
MD 195. MD 320 crosses the Montgomery–Prince George's County line and crosses Northwest Branch before it reaches its northern terminus at MD 650 (
New Hampshire Avenue
New Hampshire Avenue is a diagonal street in Washington, D.C., beginning at the Kennedy Center and extending northeast for about 5 miles (8 km) and then continuing into Maryland where it is designated Maryland Route 650. New Hampshire Avenu ...
) in Adelphi.
History
MD 320 originally had its southern terminus at the intersection of US 29 and Sligo Avenue in Silver Spring. The highway followed Sligo Avenue east to Piney Branch Road, then followed Piney Branch Road northeast to Adelphi. MD 320 continued roughly along what is now New Hampshire Avenue to its northern terminus at US 29, which is now the intersection of MD 650 and Lockwood Drive in White Oak.
The portion of this highway from modern US 29 to Carroll Avenue was paved by Montgomery County with state aid as a
macadam road by 1910.
Sligo Avenue was widened with a pair of concrete shoulders in 1926.
MD 320 was extended north as a macadam road from Carroll Avenue through Prince George's County to White Oak in 1931 and 1932.
The portion of MD 320 south of Sligo Avenue was built in two segments. The first segment, from the District of Columbia to Chestnut Avenue just south of MD 410, was a concrete reconstruction of Saratoga Avenue. The second segment, from Chestnut Avenue to Sligo Avenue, was a concrete road built on a new alignment.
Both segments were constructed in 1931 and 1932 and were designated MD 513.
MD 513 was widened with a pair of bituminous shoulders from MD 410 toward Sligo Avenue in 1942.
MD 320 was expanded to a width of and resurfaced over its entire length in 1947 and 1948.
MD 320's bridge across Long Branch was widened in 1953 and 1954.
The highway's bridge across Northwest Branch at the MD 650 junction, which had originally been built in 1910, was widened in 1954 and 1955.
MD 320 was placed on its present course in 1955; its northern end was truncated at MD 650.
Its southern portion was moved from Sligo Avenue and replaced MD 513 through Takoma Park; Sligo Avenue was redesignated MD 339.
MD 339 was removed from the state highway system by 1999.
Junction list
See also
*
References
External links
{{commons category
MDRoads: MD 320
320
__NOTOC__
Year 320 ( CCCXX) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Constantinus and Constantinus (or, less frequently, year 10 ...
Maryland Route 320
Maryland Route 320