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U.S. Route 50 (US 50) is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching just over from
Ocean City, Maryland Ocean City, officially the Town of Ocean City, is an Atlantic resort town in Worcester County, Maryland along the East Coast of the United States. The population was 6,844 at the 2020 U.S. census, although during summer weekends the city hosts b ...
, on the Atlantic Ocean to
West Sacramento, California West Sacramento (also known as West Sac) is a city in Yolo County, California, United States. The city is separated from Sacramento by the Sacramento River, which also separates Sacramento and Yolo counties. It is a fast-growing community; the ...
. In the
U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...
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 t ...
, US 50 exists in two sections. The longer of these serves as a major route connecting Washington, D.C. with Ocean City; the latter is the eastern terminus of the highway. The other section passes through the southern end of
Garrett County Garrett County () is the westernmost county of the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2020 census, the population was 28,806, making it the third-least populous county in Maryland. Its county seat is Oakland. The county was named for John W ...
for less than as part of the
Northwestern Turnpike The Northwestern Turnpike is a historic road in West Virginia ( Virginia at the time the road was created), important for being historically one of the major roads crossing the Appalachians, financed by the Virginia Board of Public Works in the 1 ...
, entering
West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the ...
at both ends. One notable section of US 50 is the dual-span
Chesapeake Bay Bridge The Chesapeake Bay Bridge (also known locally as the Bay Bridge) is a major dual-span bridge in the U.S. state of Maryland. Spanning the Chesapeake Bay, it connects the state's rural Eastern Shore region with the urban Western Shore, between ...
across the
Chesapeake Bay The Chesapeake Bay ( ) is the largest estuary in the United States. The Bay is located in the Mid-Atlantic region and is primarily separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Delmarva Peninsula (including the parts: the Eastern Shore of Maryland / ...
, which links the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area with the Eastern Shore region, allowing motorists to reach Ocean City and the
Delaware Beaches The Delaware Beaches are located along the Atlantic Ocean in the eastern part of Sussex County, Delaware, which is in the southern part of the state. In addition to beaches along the ocean, the area offers many amenities, including restaurants, ...
. US 50 has received numerous upgrades during its existence in Maryland, including the construction of the John Hanson Highway, which is also the unsigned Interstate 595 (I-595), its extension onto the Eastern Shore and replacement of US 213 due to the construction of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, and the full conversion of the eastern segment of the route into a four-lane
divided highway A dual carriageway ( BE) or divided highway ( AE) is a class of highway with carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation (BrE) or median (AmE). Roads with two or more carriageways which are ...
. Many of the older alignments of US 50 are still part of the Maryland and US highway systems, such as US 50 Business (US 50 Bus.) in
Salisbury Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath. Salisbury is in the southeast of ...
. US 50 continues to be upgraded on the Eastern Shore.


Route description

US 50 has two segments located in the state of Maryland totaling . The western segment is a two-lane undivided road through rural mountain areas in
Garrett County Garrett County () is the westernmost county of the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2020 census, the population was 28,806, making it the third-least populous county in Maryland. Its county seat is Oakland. The county was named for John W ...
, heading into
West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the ...
at both ends. The eastern segment runs between the Washington, D.C. border in
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. Alsobrooks ...
and the eastern terminus of the route at MD 528 and MD 378 in Ocean City as a multilane
divided highway A dual carriageway ( BE) or divided highway ( AE) is a class of highway with carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation (BrE) or median (AmE). Roads with two or more carriageways which are ...
with some
freeway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms ...
segments. Between Washington, D.C. and
Annapolis Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east ...
, US 50 follows a freeway called the John Hanson Highway, which is designated as unsigned I-595 between the interchanges with
I-95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the Canadia ...
/ I-495 (the Capital Beltway) in New Carrollton and MD 70 in Annapolis. In Bowie,
US 301 U.S. Route 301 (US 301) is a spur of U.S. Route 1 running through the South Atlantic States. It runs from Biddles Corner, Delaware at Delaware Route 1 to Sarasota, Florida at U.S. Route 41. It passes through the states of Delaware, Mar ...
becomes concurrent with US 50 and unsigned I-595. East of Annapolis, US 50/US 301 continue east along a freeway called the
Blue Star Memorial Highway Blue Star Memorial Highways are highways in the United States that are marked to pay tribute to the U.S. armed forces. The National Council of State Garden Clubs, now known as National Garden Clubs, Inc., started the program in 1945 after World W ...
. The two routes pass over the
Chesapeake Bay The Chesapeake Bay ( ) is the largest estuary in the United States. The Bay is located in the Mid-Atlantic region and is primarily separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Delmarva Peninsula (including the parts: the Eastern Shore of Maryland / ...
on the
Chesapeake Bay Bridge The Chesapeake Bay Bridge (also known locally as the Bay Bridge) is a major dual-span bridge in the U.S. state of Maryland. Spanning the Chesapeake Bay, it connects the state's rural Eastern Shore region with the urban Western Shore, between ...
, linking the Western Shore and the Eastern Shore regions. After the bridge, US 50/US 301 head east across
Kent Island Kent Island is the largest island in the Chesapeake Bay and a historic place in Maryland. To the east, a narrow channel known as the Kent Narrows barely separates the island from the Delmarva Peninsula, and on the other side, the island is sep ...
before the freeway ends and the two routes split in Queenstown. From here, US 50 becomes an at-grade divided highway called Ocean Gateway and runs through rural areas of the Eastern Shore, heading south through Easton to
Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...
. The route turns southeast in Cambridge and continues through more rural land to
Salisbury Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath. Salisbury is in the southeast of ...
, which it bypasses to the north on a freeway called the Salisbury Bypass, a bypass road partly shared with
US 13 U.S. Route 13 (US 13) is a north–south U.S. highway established in 1926 that runs for from Interstate 95 (I-95) just north of Fayetteville, North Carolina to US 1 in the northeastern suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in Morrisville ...
. Past Salisbury, US 50 becomes an at-grade divided highway again and continues east along the Ocean Gateway to Ocean City. US 50 serves as the main route between the Baltimore–Washington Metropolitan Area and the Eastern Shore, providing access to Ocean City and, by way of MD 404 and
Delaware Route 404 Delaware Route 404 (DE 404) is a major state highway in Sussex County, Delaware that spans the east-west width of the state. DE 404's western terminus is at the Maryland border northwest of Bridgeville, where the road continues ...
(DE 404), the
Delaware Beaches The Delaware Beaches are located along the Atlantic Ocean in the eastern part of Sussex County, Delaware, which is in the southern part of the state. In addition to beaches along the ocean, the area offers many amenities, including restaurants, ...
. As such, the route experiences heavy traffic in the summer months, with major congestion points including the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge over the Severn River in Annapolis, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge toll plaza, Easton, Cambridge, and the few miles leading into Ocean City. The peak travel periods in the summer are eastbound on Friday evenings, both directions on Saturday afternoons, and westbound on Sunday afternoons. The route is also a designated hurricane evacuation route out of Ocean City. US 50 in Maryland is a part of the main National Highway System between the Washington, D.C. border and the eastern terminus in Ocean City. US 50/I-595 has a
high-occupancy vehicle lane A high-occupancy vehicle lane (also known as an HOV lane, carpool lane, diamond lane, 2+ lane, and transit lane or T2 or T3 lanes) is a restricted traffic lane reserved for the exclusive use of vehicles with a driver and one or more passengers, i ...
(HOV lane) for carpools with 2 or more persons in each direction from west of I-95/I-495 to east of US 301, a distance of . Unlike other HOV lanes in the Washington metropolitan area, which are only restricted during rush hours, the HOV lanes on US 50 are restricted at all times.


Garrett County

US 50 leaves Preston County in
West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the ...
and enters the state of Maryland in
Garrett County Garrett County () is the westernmost county of the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2020 census, the population was 28,806, making it the third-least populous county in Maryland. Its county seat is Oakland. The county was named for John W ...
. US 50 is routed along the old
Northwestern Turnpike The Northwestern Turnpike is a historic road in West Virginia ( Virginia at the time the road was created), important for being historically one of the major roads crossing the Appalachians, financed by the Virginia Board of Public Works in the 1 ...
, presently named George Washington Highway after
George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...
. The route heads southeast from the state line as a two-lane undivided road that passes through a mix of farmland and woods with some homes. The road curves east before it turns back to the southeast and comes to an intersection with US 219 in Redhouse. Past this intersection, US 50 runs through more farm fields before it heads into forests and ascends
Backbone Mountain Backbone Mountain is a ridge of the Allegheny Mountains of the central Appalachian Mountain Range. It is situated in the U.S. states of West Virginia and Maryland and forms a portion of the Eastern Continental Divide. In the state of Maryland, Ba ...
, turning northeast. The route passes some development at the summit, which is the highest point in the Maryland state highway system at an elevation of , before it descends the mountain, curving to the east. The road heads through forested areas with a few homes before passing fields. The route runs southeast through more woods and makes a sharp turn to the north. US 50 reaches an intersection with the southern terminus of MD 560 in Gorman and turns east to come to a bridge over
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 trac ...
's
Thomas Subdivision The Thomas Subdivision is a railroad line owned by CSX Transportation in the U.S. states of Maryland and West Virginia. The line runs from Rawlings, Maryland, to Bayard, West Virginia, for a total of . At its east end the line continues west from t ...
railroad line and the
North Branch Potomac River The North Branch Potomac River flows from Fairfax Stone in West Virginia to its confluence with the South Branch Potomac River near Green Spring, West Virginia, where it turns into the Potomac River proper. Course From the Fairfax Stone, th ...
. At this point, US 50 leaves Maryland and heads back into West Virginia at Gormania.


Prince George's County

US 50 passes through West Virginia,
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...
, and Washington, D.C. before it crosses back into Maryland at the eastern border of Washington, D.C. From here, the route continues west into Washington, D.C. as New York Avenue. From the Washington, D.C. border, US 50 heads into
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. Alsobrooks ...
as the
John Hanson John Hanson ( – November 15, 1783) was an American Founding Father, merchant, and politician from Maryland during the Revolutionary Era. In 1779, Hanson was elected as a delegate to the Continental Congress after serving in a variety of ...
Highway, a six-lane
freeway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms ...
. The road soon intersects the southern terminus of the Baltimore-Washington Parkway (unsigned MD 295) and MD 201 (which heads south to the Washington, D.C. border and becomes
District of Columbia Route 295 District of Columbia Route 295 (DC 295), also known as the Anacostia Freeway as well as the Kenilworth Avenue Freeway north of East Capitol Street, is a freeway in the District of Columbia, and currently the only signed numbered route in t ...
) at a hybrid interchange with a full cloverleaf and partial-Y elements. Following this, the US 50 freeway narrows to four lanes and heads east, running between MD 459 and an industrial area to the north and
Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous U.S. States and nine cities in Canada. ...
's
Northeast Corridor The Northeast Corridor (NEC) is an electrified railroad line in the Northeast megalopolis of the United States. Owned primarily by Amtrak, it runs from Boston through Providence, New Haven, Stamford, New York City, Philadelphia, Wilmington, ...
railroad line to the south and passing under the
Alexandria Extension The Alexandria Extension is a short rail line in Washington, D.C. and Prince George's County, Maryland. Its northern portion connects the Capital Subdivision to the RF&P Subdivision, allowing freight trains to avoid Downtown Washington. Its so ...
of CSX's Capital Subdivision railroad line. The road enters Cheverly and comes to an interchange with the southern terminus of MD 459 and Columbia Park Road that provides access to the Cheverly station along
Washington Metro The Washington Metro (or simply Metro), formally the Metrorail,Google Books search/preview
's Orange Line to the south; this interchange does not have a westbound exit. Past this interchange, the route curves northeast and runs between residential neighborhoods to the northwest and the Northeast Corridor and Orange Line tracks to the southeast. The freeway leaves Cheverly and comes to the MD 202 exit, which is a combination of
partial cloverleaf A partial cloverleaf interchange or parclo is a modification of a cloverleaf interchange. The design has been well received, and has since become one of the most popular freeway-to- arterial interchange designs in North America. It has also b ...
and
trumpet interchange In the field of road transport, an interchange (American English) or a grade-separated junction (British English) is a road junction that uses grade separations to allow for the movement of traffic between two or more roadways or highways, usi ...
s. US 50 continues through suburban areas alongside the railroad tracks, passing near the
Landover station Landover station is an island-platformed Washington Metro station in Landover, Maryland, United States. The station was opened on November 20, 1978, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Providing servic ...
along the Orange Line that can be accessed from MD 202. The road heads through a section of
Landover Hills Landover Hills is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 1,815. The town has a neighborhood named Defense Heights. History Landover Hills was incorporated in 1945. Geography Landover Hi ...
and widens to six lanes, reaching a
diamond interchange A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a controlled-access highway crosses a minor road. Design The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge. Approaching the ...
with MD 410. Past this interchange, the freeway turns east and passes over Amtrak's Northeast Corridor and Washington Metro's Orange Line. The route comes to an interchange with Garden City Drive ( MD 950) and Ardwick Ardmore Road (US 50PA) that provides access to the New Carrollton station serving Amtrak trains,
MARC Marc or MARC may refer to: People * Marc (given name), people with the first name * Marc (surname), people with the family name Acronyms * MARC standards, a data format used for library cataloging, * MARC Train, a regional commuter rail system of ...
's Penn Line, and the terminus of Washington Metro's Orange Line to the north of the road; this interchange does not have an eastbound exit. Following this interchange, US 50 passes office parks and industrial development in New Carrollton. The highway reaches a hybrid
turbine interchange In the field of road transport, an interchange (American English) or a grade-separated junction (British English) is a road junction that uses grade separations to allow for the movement of traffic between two or more roadways or highways, using ...
with
I-95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the Canadia ...
/ I-495, the Capital Beltway. At the I-95/I-495 interchange, the US 50 freeway becomes part of the
Interstate Highway System The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Highway System in the United States. T ...
as I-595, which is an
unsigned highway Road sign along Aurora_to_exit_the_freeway._The_road_at_this_exit_is_officially_designated_ Sigurd_and_Aurora,_Utah">Aurora_to_exit_the_freeway._The_road_at_this_exit_is_officially_designated_Utah_State_Route_259">SR 259,_a_short_connector;_ ...
. The road heads east as a ten-lane freeway, with the left lane in each direction designated as a HOV lane for carpools with 2 or more persons that is in operation 24 hours a day. The freeway passes near residential development and comes to a partial cloverleaf interchange with MD 704 near Lanham. After this interchange, the highway narrows to eight lanes, with the left lanes remaining an HOV lane, and runs between commercial development to the north and housing subdivisions to the south. US 50 continues east through woodland with nearby residential areas, passing under MD 193 without an interchange. Farther east, the route runs through wooded areas with more scattered residential development, heading to the north of Freeway Airport. The road turns to the northeast and comes to a bridge over CSX's Pope's Creek Subdivision railroad line before it crosses into Bowie and reaches the
MD 197 Maryland Route 197 (MD 197) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known for most of its length as Laurel Bowie Road, the state highway runs from U.S. Route 301 (US 301) in Bowie north to MD 198 in Laurel. MD 197 serves as the mai ...
exit, which is a partial cloverleaf interchange. Past here, US 50 curves east and runs between residential neighborhoods before it comes to a modified cloverleaf interchange with
US 301 U.S. Route 301 (US 301) is a spur of U.S. Route 1 running through the South Atlantic States. It runs from Biddles Corner, Delaware at Delaware Route 1 to Sarasota, Florida at U.S. Route 41. It passes through the states of Delaware, Mar ...
and the southern terminus of MD 3. At this interchange, the HOV lanes end and US 301 heads east concurrent with US 50 and unsigned I-595 on the freeway, which narrows to six lanes. The road passes south of an industrial park before it leaves Bowie and enters woodland, coming to a bridge over the
Patuxent River The Patuxent River is a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay in the state of Maryland. There are three main river drainages for central Maryland: the Potomac River to the west passing through Washington, D.C., the Patapsco River to the northeast ...
.


Anne Arundel County

Upon crossing the Patuxent River, US 50/US 301 and unsigned I-595 head into
Anne Arundel County Anne Arundel County (; ), also notated as AA or A.A. County, is located in the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2020 United States census, its population was 588,261, an increase of just under 10% since 2010. Its county seat is Annapolis, whi ...
and continue through wooded areas with some farm fields, bending to the east-northeast. The road comes to a partial cloverleaf interchange with MD 424 to the north of Davidsonville. From here, the freeway runs through forested areas with some nearby housing developments, crossing the South River. The freeway curves to the east and heads near more dense residential development before it reaches a
directional T interchange In the field of road transport, an interchange (American English) or a grade-separated junction (British English) is a road junction that uses grade separations to allow for the movement of traffic between two or more roadways or highways, using ...
with the southern terminus of I-97, which leads north toward
Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore was ...
. Past this interchange, the ramps leading to and from I-97 run parallel to US 50/US 301 to an interchange with the western terminus of MD 665, which runs southeast into
Annapolis Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east ...
as a short freeway spur. From here, the highway heads into
Parole Parole (also known as provisional release or supervised release) is a form of early release of a prison inmate where the prisoner agrees to abide by certain behavioral conditions, including checking-in with their designated parole officers, or ...
and runs through a business area, coming to a partial cloverleaf interchange with
MD 450 Maryland Route 450 (MD 450) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The state highway runs from U.S. Route 1 Alternate (US 1 Alternate) in Bladensburg east to US 50, US 301, and MD 2 near Arnold. MD 450 forms a local complement t ...
, which leads into downtown Annapolis, to the south of the
Westfield Annapolis Westfield Annapolis is a shopping mall, owned by Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield and is located near the junction of U.S. Route 50 and Interstate 97 in Parole, near Annapolis, Maryland. As of 2022, the mall features the traditional tenants Macy's and JC ...
shopping mall. The freeway soon intersects MD 2 at a partial cloverleaf interchange at Solomons Island Road. At this point, MD 2 joins US 50/US 301 and unsigned I-595 on the John Hanson Highway. The road heads northeast through wooded areas before coming to an interchange with MD 70 that serves downtown Annapolis. At this interchange, the unsigned I-595 designation ends, while US 50/US 301/MD 2 continue northeast on the John Hanson Highway. The route passes under MD 436 and runs near residential neighborhoods before crossing over the Severn River on the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge. After crossing the Severn River, the road comes to an interchange with the Governor Ritchie Highway. Here, MD 2 leaves US 50/US 301 by heading north on the Governor Ritchie Highway toward Baltimore while MD 450 continues south into Annapolis on that road, providing access to the
United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy ...
. Past this interchange, US 50/US 301 become
Blue Star Memorial Highway Blue Star Memorial Highways are highways in the United States that are marked to pay tribute to the U.S. armed forces. The National Council of State Garden Clubs, now known as National Garden Clubs, Inc., started the program in 1945 after World W ...
and pass to the south of
Arnold Arnold may refer to: People * Arnold (given name), a masculine given name * Arnold (surname), a German and English surname Places Australia * Arnold, Victoria, a small town in the Australian state of Victoria Canada * Arnold, Nova Scotia U ...
, coming to a westbound
right-in/right-out Right-in/right-out (RIRO) and left-in/left-out (LILO) refer to a type of three-way road intersection where turning movements of vehicles are restricted. A RIRO permits only right turns and a LILO permits only left turns. "Right-in" and "left-in" r ...
(RIRO) intersection serving
MD 648 Maryland Route 648 (MD 648) is a collection of state highways in the U.S. state of Maryland. These nine highways are current or former sections of the Baltimore–Annapolis Boulevard between Annapolis and Baltimore via Glen Burnie. There are ...
and continuing northeast through wooded areas with some businesses adjacent to the road. The freeway comes to the Bay Dale Drive exit before it runs through woods and curves to the east. The road becomes paralleled by Buschs Frontage Road ( MD 908A), a
frontage road A frontage road (also known as an access road, outer road, service road, feeder road, or parallel road) is a local road running parallel to a higher-speed, limited-access road. A frontage road is often used to provide access to private drive ...
, to the south prior to reaching an interchange with MD 179 to the south of Cape St. Claire. Past this interchange, the US 50/US 301 freeway is paralleled by the East College Parkway (MD 908B) frontage road to the north and the Whitehall Road (MD 908C) frontage road to the south as it passes a few businesses, coming to an eastbound exit and entrance connecting to Whitehall Road. The route continues through woodland with a residential neighborhood to the north before it heads to the north of a shopping center and reaches an eastbound RIRO intersection serving Whitehall Road. The road runs through more woodland with some homes before it turns southeast and comes to a modified cloverleaf interchange with Oceanic Drive (MD 908D) in Skidmore that provides access to
Sandy Point State Park Sandy Point State Park is a public recreation area on Chesapeake Bay, located at the western end of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The state park is known for the popularity of its swimming beach, with annual attendan ...
to the east. Following this interchange, maintenance of the road changes from the
Maryland State Highway Administration The Maryland State Highway Administration (abbreviated MDOT SHA or simply SHA) is the state transportation business unit responsible for maintaining Maryland's numbered highways outside Baltimore City. Formed originally under authority of the ...
to the Maryland Transportation Authority and it reaches a westbound
weigh station A weigh station is a checkpoint along a highway to inspect vehicular weights and safety compliance criteria. Usually, trucks and commercial vehicles are subject to the inspection. Weigh stations are equipped with truck scales, some of which are ...
. From here, US 50/US 301 continue southeast and head onto the
Chesapeake Bay Bridge The Chesapeake Bay Bridge (also known locally as the Bay Bridge) is a major dual-span bridge in the U.S. state of Maryland. Spanning the Chesapeake Bay, it connects the state's rural Eastern Shore region with the urban Western Shore, between ...
, which soon curves to the east as it passes over the
Chesapeake Bay The Chesapeake Bay ( ) is the largest estuary in the United States. The Bay is located in the Mid-Atlantic region and is primarily separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Delmarva Peninsula (including the parts: the Eastern Shore of Maryland / ...
. The bridge is a
dual-span Twin bridges are a set of two bridges running parallel to each other. A pair of twin bridges is often referred to collectively as a twin-span or dual-span bridge. Twin bridges are independent structures and each bridge has its own superstruct ...
crossing with an eastbound suspension and Cantilever bridge, cantilever span and westbound suspension and Through arch bridge, through arch span, carrying two eastbound lanes and three westbound lanes that can be reversed to allow for two-way traffic on one span by way of crossovers on either side of the bridge.


Queen Anne's County

After crossing the Chesapeake Bay on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, US 50/US 301 head onto
Kent Island Kent Island is the largest island in the Chesapeake Bay and a historic place in Maryland. To the east, a narrow channel known as the Kent Narrows barely separates the island from the Delmarva Peninsula, and on the other side, the island is sep ...
in Queen Anne's County, Maryland, Queen Anne's County, entering the Eastern Shore region of the state. The road continues east as the Blue Star Memorial Highway, a six-lane freeway, and passes through an eastbound all-electronic tolling, all-electronic toll gantry before maintenance returns to the Maryland State Highway Administration. The freeway comes to a diamond interchange with Maryland Route 8, MD 8 and heads to the south of Stevensville, Maryland, Stevensville through business areas, with Maryland Route 835, MD 835A parallel to the south. The route reaches an eastbound RIRO intersection with Thompson Creek Road and a westbound RIRO intersection with Duke Street. From here, US 50/US 301 head east across Cox Creek and run between businesses to the north and residential areas to the south in Chester, Maryland, Chester, with a westbound exit and entrance with the US50QC frontage road providing access to the businesses. The highway comes to an eastbound RIRO intersection with Cox Neck Road and a westbound RIRO intersection with Castle Marina Road (MD 18H), the latter of which provides access to Maryland Route 18, MD 18 to the north. The road continues through commercial areas and passes under MD 18 before it comes to an eastbound RIRO intersection with the northern terminus of Maryland Route 552, MD 552 and a westbound RIRO intersection with Chester Station Road (MD 552A), with Chester Station Road providing a connection to Piney Creek Road. The freeway runs between woods and marshes to the north and businesses to the south prior to an eastbound RIRO intersection with South Piney Road and a westbound RIRO intersection with Piney Creek Road. The route passes near more development and comes to an eastbound RIRO intersection with Dundee Avenue before a bridge over Piney Creek. US 50/US 301 reaches an interchange with MD 18, with access to and from the westbound lanes provided by Piney Narrows Road. Following this interchange, the freeway heads across the Kent Narrows on the Kent Narrows Bridge, with MD 18 parallel to the south. At this point, the route heads onto the mainland and passes between two marinas before it comes to an eastbound RIRO intersection with Seward Marina Road (MD 835) and a westbound RIRO intersection with Kent Narrows Road (MD 835G), both providing access to MD 18, in the community of Kent Narrows, Maryland, Kent Narrows. The road passes through marshland before heading near homes and businesses and reaching an eastbound RIRO intersection with MD 18F, which connects to MD 18, and a westbound RIRO intersection with Jackson Creek Road (MD 18U) in Grasonville, Maryland, Grasonville. US 50/US 301 continue east past development and come to an interchange with Chester River Beach Road (MD 18V); this interchange does not have a westbound exit. From here, the freeway runs through wooded areas prior to reaching an eastbound RIRO intersection with Station Lane (MD 18I) and a westbound RIRO intersection with VFW Avenue (MD 18W). The road curves northeast and heads near residential and commercial areas, with an eastbound RIRO intersection at Evans Avenue (MD 18Z) before an eastbound RIRO intersection at Hess Road (MD 18X) and a westbound RIRO intersection at Hissey Road (MD 835I). The route reaches an interchange with Nesbit Road (MD 835K), which serves the University of Maryland Shore Emergency Center at Queenstown and the University of Maryland Shore Medical Pavilion at Queenstown to the south of the road, before it runs through woodland. US 50 and US 301 split at a half-trumpet interchange near Queenstown, with US 301 continuing northeast along the carriageways on the Blue Star Memorial Highway towards Delaware. Upon splitting from US 301, US 50 heads east as the Ocean Gateway, a four-lane, at-grade
divided highway A dual carriageway ( BE) or divided highway ( AE) is a class of highway with carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation (BrE) or median (AmE). Roads with two or more carriageways which are ...
. A short distance after the US 301 split, the route comes to an intersection with MD 18. The road runs between the Queenstown Premium Outlets to the north and a few businesses to the south before it heads into wooded areas with some farm fields. US 50 curves to the east-southeast and reaches a junction with the southern terminus of Maryland Route 456, MD 456. The road continues southeast through agricultural areas with some woods and homes. Farther southeast, the route comes to an intersection with the northern terminus of Maryland Route 662, MD 662, which leads south into Wye Mills, Maryland, Wye Mills. US 50 bends to the east-southeast and continues through farmland, passing to the north of Chesapeake College before it reaches the junction with Maryland Route 213, MD 213, which heads south to Wye Mills and north to provide access to US 301 and the towns of Centreville, Maryland, Centreville and Chestertown, Maryland, Chestertown. Following this, the road curves southeast as it runs through a mix of farm fields and woodland. The route turns due south and comes to an intersection with MD 404, which heads west to Wye Mills and east to provide access to Denton, Maryland, Denton and, along with Delaware Route 404, DE 404, the
Delaware Beaches The Delaware Beaches are located along the Atlantic Ocean in the eastern part of Sussex County, Delaware, which is in the southern part of the state. In addition to beaches along the ocean, the area offers many amenities, including restaurants, ...
. This intersection has park and ride lots on the northwest and northeast corners.


Talbot County

Upon crossing MD 404, US 50 enters Talbot County, Maryland, Talbot County and continues due south through open agricultural areas with a few homes. The road runs through a mix of farmland and woodland and reaches an intersection with the south end of the Wye Mills segment of MD 662. A short distance later, another section of MD 662 branches southeast from the route to head into Skipton, Maryland, Skipton. US 50 continues through farm fields and woods with some residential and commercial development, crossing MD 662. The road heads south through more rural land with occasional development to the east of Longwoods, Maryland, Longwoods. Farther south, the route passes to the west of a golf course before it enters Easton. At this point, US 50 becomes closely parallel with MD 662 to the west and reaches an intersection with the southern terminus of Maryland Route 309, MD 309. Past this intersection, the road heads between MD 662 and the Easton Airport (Maryland), Easton Airport to the west and commercial development to the east. MD 662 curves away to the west and the route runs between residences to the west and businesses to the east. The median of US 50 widens as it reaches an intersection with the northern terminus of Maryland Route 322, MD 322, which serves as a western bypass of Easton and provides access from US 50 to the western Talbot County communities of Oxford, Maryland, Oxford, St. Michaels, Maryland, St. Michaels, and Tilghman Island, Maryland, Tilghman Island. Following this intersection, the road crosses an abandoned railroad grade owned by the Maryland Department of Transportation before the median of the route narrows again and it passes through a mix of farm fields and commercial development. The road widens to six lanes and becomes lined with businesses as it heads through the eastern part of Easton, coming to an intersection with the western terminus of Maryland Route 328, MD 328. Farther south, US 50 reaches a junction with the northern terminus of Maryland Route 331, MD 331. Following this intersection, the roadway runs through residential and commercial areas, narrowing to four lanes. The route continues past more businesses, bending to the south-southwest, before it heads to the east of Easton High School. US 50 passes through a mix of fields and commercial areas before reaching a junction with the southern terminus of the MD 322 western bypass of Easton. At this point, the route leaves Easton and heads south through a mix of farmland and woodland with some businesses. US 50 has an intersection with the northern terminus of Maryland Route 565, MD 565, which runs north-south to the west of US 50. The road continues south-southeast through a mix of agricultural areas and woods with some homes and businesses. Farther south, the route curves to the south and enters Trappe, Maryland, Trappe, heading through residential and commercial areas in the eastern part of the town. At the south end of Trappe, US 50 intersects Main Street, which heads north through the center of town and becomes MD 565 on the northern edge. From here, the road leaves Trappe and runs south through a mix of farmland and woodland. The route curves southeast as it continues through rural land. US 50 turns to the south-southwest and passes through a mix of fields and woods with some homes before it comes to the Choptank River. Here, the route intersects Marina Drive (Maryland Route 954, MD 954A), which provides access to a marina on the river to the west of the road. US 50 passes over the wide Choptank River on the Frederick C. Malkus Bridge, Senator Frederick C. Malkus Bridge. Located parallel to the east of the bridge is Bill Burton Fishing Pier State Park, which consists of the former two-lane US 50 bridge over the river that was converted into two fishing piers, with the center section of the bridge removed.


Dorchester County

After passing over the Choptank River on the Senator Frederick C. Malkus Bridge, US 50 enters
Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...
in Dorchester County, Maryland, Dorchester County and becomes Sunburst Highway, a six-lane divided road that is lined with businesses, heading to the east of the downtown area. The route curves to the southeast and reaches an intersection with the eastern terminus of Maryland Route 343, MD 343. The road passes more commercial development before it leaves Cambridge at the Woods Road intersection, where the name returns to Ocean Gateway. US 50 runs between a golf course and resort to the north and businesses to the south before it comes to a junction with Maryland Route 16, MD 16. At this point, MD 16 turns east for a concurrency with US 50 and the road continues east near businesses. The road intersects the western terminus of Maryland Route 750, MD 750, a former alignment of the route that loops to the north, at which point it narrows to four lanes. The route continues past a mix of homes and businesses, coming to the eastern terminus of MD 750. From here, Aireys Spur Road loops to the south and the road runs east through a mix of farmland and development. MD 16 splits from US 50 by heading northeast on Mount Holly Road toward East New Market, Maryland, East New Market. From here, US 50 continues east through a mix of farm fields and woodland with some residential and commercial development, with Chateau Drive looping to the south and then Hicksburg Road looping to the north. The route curves to the southeast and reaches Linkwood, Maryland, Linkwood, where Vincent Road runs parallel to the west and the route passes businesses, crossing the Maryland and Delaware Railroad's Seaford Line at-grade. The road traverses more farmland and woods southwest of the Linkwood Wildlife Management Area. US 50 curves to the east, with Mill Road looping to the northeast, and passes north of Salem, Maryland, Salem, with Salem Road looping south to serve that community. The route continues through rural land, with Maiden Forest Road looping to the north and the highway making a turn to the southeast. Farther southeast, the road comes to an eastbound exit and entrance with Old Ocean Gateway, which heads southeast into Vienna, Maryland, Vienna. At this point, US 50 curves east into wooded areas and bypasses Vienna to the north. The route comes to a partial cloverleaf interchange with the southern terminus of MD 331 that provides access to Vienna. Following this, the road passes over MD 331 and an abandoned railroad right-of-way owned by Delmarva Power, Delmarva Power and Light Company before it heads through fields to the south of a lake, curving to the southeast. The route crosses over the Nanticoke River on the Nanticoke River Memorial Bridge.


Wicomico County

Upon crossing the Nanticoke River, US 50 heads into Wicomico County, Maryland, Wicomico County and runs through marshland before heading into forests and turning to the south. The route intersects Old Bradley Road (Maryland Route 731, MD 731C), which provides access to an eastbound inspection station for buses and trucks. The road has an intersection with Marsh Road (MD 731A), a one-way road coming from the inspection station, and curves to the southeast. US 50 continues through a mix of farmland and woodland with some residential and commercial development, turning to the east as it passes north of a roadside picnic area. The route heads into Mardela Springs, Maryland, Mardela Springs and passes to the north of the residential areas of the town. US 50 reaches an intersection with the southern terminus of Maryland Route 313, MD 313, which heads east a short distance to the western terminus of Maryland Route 54, MD 54 before turning north. From here, the road leaves Mardela Springs and runs through more rural land with some development. The route passes through open agricultural areas with some woodland and homes, curving to the southeast. US 50 intersects the northern terminus of Maryland Route 347, MD 347, which heads southwest into Hebron, Maryland, Hebron. A short distance later, the route has a junction with the eastern terminus of Maryland Route 670, MD 670, which leads west into Hebron. From here, the road runs through more rural areas with some residences and commercial establishments. US 50 comes to an eastbound exit and westbound entrance with U.S. Route 50 Business (Salisbury, Maryland), US 50 Bus., which heads southeast into
Salisbury Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath. Salisbury is in the southeast of ...
along Ocean Gateway. At this point, US 50 becomes a four-lane freeway called the Salisbury Bypass that bypasses Salisbury to the north and east. From here, the route continues east and reaches a diamond interchange with Naylor Mill Road (US 50UA). Following this interchange, the freeway heads through wooded areas with some nearby residential development, coming to a bridge over the Wicomico River (Maryland eastern shore), Wicomico River. The road passes through the Northwood business park on an earthen viaduct, crossing over the Delmarva Central Railroad's Delmarva Subdivision line before coming to an eastbound exit and westbound entrance with Northwood Drive. Past this interchange, US 50 comes to an interchange with
US 13 U.S. Route 13 (US 13) is a north–south U.S. highway established in 1926 that runs for from Interstate 95 (I-95) just north of Fayetteville, North Carolina to US 1 in the northeastern suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in Morrisville ...
and the northern terminus of U.S. Route 13 Business (Salisbury, Maryland), US 13 Bus. at Salisbury Boulevard in a business area to the southwest of The Centre at Salisbury shopping mall. At this point, US 13 becomes concurrent with US 50 on the Salisbury Bypass, and the two routes head east through a mix of farmland and woodland with some homes. The freeway curves to the south and passes over the Delmarva Central Railroad's Willards Industrial Track line and Maryland Route 346, MD 346 without an interchange. The road comes to a partial cloverleaf interchange with the eastern terminus of US 50 Bus. at Salisbury Parkway, at which point US 50 splits from the Salisbury Bypass to continue east as Ocean Gateway and US 13 continues south along the Salisbury Bypass. US 50 continues east along Ocean Gateway, a four-lane, at-grade divided highway with a wide median, and passes to the north of Arthur W. Perdue Stadium, the home ballpark of the Delmarva Shorebirds baseball team. The route intersects Hobbs Road and heads through commercial areas, with the John Deere Drive (Maryland Route 992, MD 992A) frontage road parallel to the south. The road runs through woods and crosses Beaverdam Creek (Wicomico County), Beaverdam Creek before heading near more commercial development, passing to the north of Wor–Wic Community College past the Walston Switch Road intersection. US 50 traverses forests before running through a mix of farmland and woodland, reaching an intersection with Parsonsburg Road, which leads north to Parsonsburg, Maryland, Parsonsburg, and Eastside Road (MD 992B). The route continues east through more rural land and comes to a junction with the southern terminus of Maryland Route 353, MD 353, which heads north into Pittsville, Maryland, Pittsville. The road runs through farmland with some woods, with MD 346 parallel a distance to the north. US 50 reaches an intersection with Maryland Route 354, MD 354, which heads north into Willards, Maryland, Willards. From here, the route continues into wooded areas and crosses the Pocomoke River.


Worcester County

After passing over the Pocomoke River, US 50 enters Worcester County, Maryland, Worcester County and runs through more wooded areas before coming to an intersection with Maryland Route 610, MD 610, which heads north to Whaleyville, Maryland, Whaleyville. Following this, the road curves to the southeast and passes through a mix of farmland and woodland. The route comes to an eastbound exit and westbound entrance with the western terminus of Maryland Route 90, MD 90, a two-lane expressway that provides access to the northern part of Ocean City. From here, US 50 continues through rural land and heads into open agricultural areas as it reaches a junction with MD 346. Past this junction, MD 346 runs closely parallel to the southwest of the route until the intersection with Caleb Road (MD 992F), where MD 346 curves to the south-southeast toward Berlin, Maryland, Berlin. US 50 runs through a mix of farmland and woodland as it passes to the north of Berlin. The road comes to an intersection with Maryland Route 818, MD 818, which provides access to Berlin. A short distance later, US 50 comes to a grade crossing with the Maryland and Delaware Railroad's Snow Hill Line as it reaches a cloverleaf interchange with U.S. Route 113, US 113, with the ramps from eastbound US 50 to southbound US 113 and from southbound US 113 to westbound US 50 also crossing the railroad tracks at-grade. Following the US 113 interchange, US 50 runs through woods before it heads between farmland to the north and businesses to the south as it intersects the eastern terminus of MD 346. At this point, the median narrows and the road bends to the east-northeast. The route runs through more agricultural areas with some businesses and passes north of Stephen Decatur High School (Maryland), Stephen Decatur High School as it comes to a junction with the southern terminus of Maryland Route 452, MD 452. US 50 runs through a mix of farms and woods with some commercial development, becoming closely parallel with Maryland Route 707, MD 707 to the north before that route heads further to the north. The road curves to the east-southeast and MD 707 comes closely parallel again before it intersects the southern terminus of Maryland Route 589, MD 589, which heads north to provide access to the Ocean Downs casino and harness racetrack and Ocean Pines, Maryland, Ocean Pines, at Grays Corner, Maryland, Grays Corner. The route passes between a shopping center to the southwest and MD 707 and a golf course to the northeast, with MD 707 ending near the intersection with Riddle Lane (US 50WA). US 50 heads through a mix of woodland and businesses, curving to the east and then the east-northeast as another section of MD 707 is located a short distance to the north, with US 50WB and US 50WC heading north to connect to MD 707. The road runs through wooded areas of residential and commercial development before coming to a bridge over Herring Creek. Past the creek, the route intersects another section of MD 707 that heads southeast near the Greater Ocean City Chamber of Commerce visitor center. At this point, US 50 continues east into West Ocean City, Maryland, West Ocean City, lined with businesses. The road curves to the east-southeast and has a junction with the northern terminus of Maryland Route 611, MD 611, which heads south to provide access to the Ocean City Municipal Airport (Maryland), Ocean City Municipal Airport and Assateague Island. Past this intersection, US 50 runs past more businesses, passing to the south of the Outlets Ocean City outlet mall and to the north of the West Ocean City Park and Ride. The route becomes a four-lane undivided road and crosses over the Sinepuxent Bay on the Harry W. Kelley Memorial Bridge, a Moveable bridge, drawbridge. After crossing the bay, US 50 continues into the downtown area of Ocean City and passes near residential areas before heading near businesses and coming to its eastern terminus. Here, the route intersects MD 528, which runs one-way street, one-way southbound on Philadelphia Avenue, where the westbound lanes of US 50 begin. Eastbound US 50 continues east on North Division Street, which carries two lanes of one-way traffic. One block later, eastbound US 50 reaches its eastern terminus at MD 378, which runs one-way northbound on Baltimore Avenue, one block west of the Ocean City Boardwalk (Maryland), Ocean City Boardwalk along the Atlantic Ocean. Heading west on US 50 out of Ocean City, an overhead sign lists the distance to the western terminus of the route in Sacramento, California, as . The sign reflects the length of US 50 at the time the sign was posted in the early 1980s. Due to changes to the route since then, the length listed is no longer accurate, as US 50 is about long.


History

While the portion of US 50 in Garrett County has remained largely unchanged, the eastern portion has changed significantly since the route was established in 1926.


Original 1926 plan

On the Western Shore, US 50 was on the alignment currently known as
MD 450 Maryland Route 450 (MD 450) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The state highway runs from U.S. Route 1 Alternate (US 1 Alternate) in Bladensburg east to US 50, US 301, and MD 2 near Arnold. MD 450 forms a local complement t ...
. It ended at Church Circle in
Annapolis Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east ...
, near St. Anne's Church (Annapolis, Maryland), St. Anne's Church. Beyond the end of US 50 was a ferry which connected the route to what was then Maryland Route 33, MD 17 on the Eastern Shore, in Talbot County.


Extension to the Eastern Shore

Just before the
Chesapeake Bay Bridge The Chesapeake Bay Bridge (also known locally as the Bay Bridge) is a major dual-span bridge in the U.S. state of Maryland. Spanning the Chesapeake Bay, it connects the state's rural Eastern Shore region with the urban Western Shore, between ...
's completion, in 1948, US 50 was extended east to Ocean City. This extension brought the route across the bay via an existing ferry service, and US 50 replaced much of US 213 and portions of MD 404 on the Eastern Shore. As a result of US 50 being routed onto the Eastern Shore, US 213 north of what is now US 50 was removed from the U.S. Highway system, and became the current Maryland Route 213, MD 213 by the late 1970s. Once the original two-lane span of the bridge was completed in 1952, it replaced the ferry, which had been in service since the 1930s. The John Hanson Highway, named for
John Hanson John Hanson ( – November 15, 1783) was an American Founding Father, merchant, and politician from Maryland during the Revolutionary Era. In 1779, Hanson was elected as a delegate to the Continental Congress after serving in a variety of ...
, was the first section of US 50 to be upgraded to a
freeway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms ...
in Maryland. It was completed soon after the Bay Bridge was built, and the older alignment was redesignated MD 450. A slight extension of MD 450 was then built to reconnect it with US 50 near the present-day intersection with MD 2.


Dualization

High volumes of beach traffic as a result of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge made further upgrades to the route necessary. A very straight alignment south through Talbot County was built, the former alignment becoming Maryland Route 662, MD 662. In Salisbury, US 50 was moved from Main Street to Church Street. In Worcester County, its present-day alignment was built, though only dualized east of US 113 in Berlin. Following this, in the mid-1960s, the present four-lane section of US 50 was completed between Salisbury at then-US 13 and Berlin at US 113, its old alignment east of East Main Street becoming Maryland Route 346, MD 346, and Church Street was returned to the city. The rest of US 50 on the Eastern Shore was in the process of being dualized at this time. This included the adjacent span of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge built in 1973, widening the thoroughfare to an asymmetrical five lanes. In 1991, just as the final two-lane section of US 50 was falling into severe disrepair, Vienna, Maryland, Vienna was bypassed to the northeast, completing the dualization of the eastern section of US 50. The drawbridge was then dismantled, and portions of the old road were designated List of state highways in Maryland shorter than one mile (700–799)#MD 731, MD 731. The designations have been rolled back over time, however, and MD 731 is no longer signed. The 1990s also saw two extra lanes added to the John Hanson Highway in both directions as it was upgraded to enter the Interstate Highway System, being granted the I-595 designation. However, the I-595 shields were never installed on the highway; although the sign gantries installed during the upgrade contain space for the I-595 shields to be installed, this never happened to prevent motorist confusion, and as a result the designation is only used internally. The freeway portion was extended to the Eastern Shore, from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge east to the US 50/US 301 split in Queenstown. The US 50/US 301 portion of the Blue Star Memorial Highway was upgraded to a freeway mostly during the late 1980s and early 1990s; prior to this it was only a Dual carriageway, divided highway with several local roads intersecting it. After being upgraded, many of these intersections became sharp
right-in/right-out Right-in/right-out (RIRO) and left-in/left-out (LILO) refer to a type of three-way road intersection where turning movements of vehicles are restricted. A RIRO permits only right turns and a LILO permits only left turns. "Right-in" and "left-in" r ...
ramps. The most recent upgrade to US 50 came in October 2002, when the Salisbury Bypass was extended to circle the north side of the city. US 50 was rerouted onto this, and the alignment within the city, already bypassed numerous times, became present-day US 50 Business.


Interstate 595

Interstate 595 (I-595) is an unsigned number for a section of the John Hanson Highway (US 50 and U.S. Route 301 in Maryland, US 301) from Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway), I-495 (Capital Beltway) east of Washington, D.C., to Maryland Route 70, MD 70 (Rowe Boulevard) at Annapolis, Maryland.


Original construction

The John Hanson Highway, US 50's route between Washington, D.C., and Annapolis, was constructed in 1957, and ran from New York Avenue just outside Washington, D.C., to MD 2, the Ritchie Highway, north of Annapolis, connecting to the western approach to the
Chesapeake Bay Bridge The Chesapeake Bay Bridge (also known locally as the Bay Bridge) is a major dual-span bridge in the U.S. state of Maryland. Spanning the Chesapeake Bay, it connects the state's rural Eastern Shore region with the urban Western Shore, between ...
. The highway was four lanes throughout, and connected to the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, Interstate 495 (Maryland), I-495 and U.S. Route 301 in Maryland, US 301 with full-cloverleaf interchanges.


Upgrades

In the 1980s, the John Hanson Highway was planned to be designated as a part of I-97 between the Capital Beltway and the current I-97 interchange and as Interstate 197 between I-97 and MD 70. In the early 1980s, the I-595 route number was proposed for a connector in Baltimore from I-95 to what was then called Interstate 170 (Maryland), I-170, which was left stranded from the rest of the Interstate Highway System by the cancellation of Interstate 70 in Maryland, I-70 within the city limits of Baltimore. That connector was never built, and I-170 has been redesignated as part of U.S. Route 40 in Maryland, US 40. Due to the increasing use of the highway and the dangerous conditions at the interchanges with the Capital Beltway and US 301, the highway was reconstructed to Interstate standards between 1990 and 1995 between the Capital Beltway and MD 70 in Annapolis. Funding for the project was released from the cancellation of Interstate Highway segments within Baltimore, Maryland, Baltimore. Originally, planners intended to designate the reconstructed highway as Interstate 68, I-68, but with the completion of the National Freeway in far western Maryland in 1991, the
Maryland State Highway Administration The Maryland State Highway Administration (abbreviated MDOT SHA or simply SHA) is the state transportation business unit responsible for maintaining Maryland's numbered highways outside Baltimore City. Formed originally under authority of the ...
chose instead to designate that route as I-68, leaving the John Hanson Highway to be designated as I-595.


Reasons for lack of signage

In January 2001, highway historian Scott Kozel contacted the
Maryland State Highway Administration The Maryland State Highway Administration (abbreviated MDOT SHA or simply SHA) is the state transportation business unit responsible for maintaining Maryland's numbered highways outside Baltimore City. Formed originally under authority of the ...
(MDSHA) to ask why I-595 was not signed. They responded with: "We did not feel that either the posting in the field or the noting on a map would serve any useful purpose for the traveling public". At times in 2011, the MDSHA used the I-595 reference on the CHART website. This seems to have been at the discretion of the operator at the time when referencing accidents and incidents on that highway. No official policy change was mentioned regarding this. At long, I-595 is the longest unsigned stretch of Interstate Highway (within the 48 contiguous states) in the entire Interstate system.


Future

There are currently plans to upgrade US 50 in Queen Anne's County to a full limited access freeway, the freeway portion ending at an interchange with MD 404 atop the Queen Anne's/Talbot County border. This comes along with plans to fully dualize the latter highway in the state of Maryland.


Junction list


Related routes


Salisbury business route

U.S. Route 50 Business (US 50 Bus.) is a business route of US 50 in the
U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...
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 t ...
. The highway runs from US 50 on the northwest side of
Salisbury Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath. Salisbury is in the southeast of ...
to
US 13 U.S. Route 13 (US 13) is a north–south U.S. highway established in 1926 that runs for from Interstate 95 (I-95) just north of Fayetteville, North Carolina to US 1 in the northeastern suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in Morrisville ...
and US 50 on the east side of Salisbury in central Wicomico County, Maryland, Wicomico County. US 50 Bus. is a four- to six-lane divided highway within and on either side of the central business district of Salisbury, where the highway intersects Maryland Route 349, MD 349, U.S. Route 13 Business (Salisbury, Maryland), US 13 Bus., and Maryland Route 346, MD 346. US 50 Bus. west of MD 349 is a mid-1950s upgrade of the original highway entering Salisbury from the northwest. The business route between MD 349 and MD 346 was a relocation of US 50 from Main Street built in the early 1960s. East of MD 346, US 50 Bus. is part of the relocation of US 50 between Salisbury and Berlin, Maryland, Berlin completed in the mid-1960s. US 50 Bus. was designated when the US 50 portion of the Salisbury Bypass was completed in 2002.


Auxiliary routes

*US 50PA is the designation for the section of one-way southbound Ardwick Ardmore Road from Garden City Drive south to Pennsy Drive in New Carrollton, Prince George's County, where Ardwick Ardmore Road continues southeast as a county road. The route provides access from Garden City Drive and the New Carrollton station to ramps leading to westbound and eastbound US 50. *US 50QB is the designation for a ramp from westbound US 50 to MD 456 near Queenstown, Queen Anne's County. *US 50QC is the designation for a unnamed one-way frontage road running parallel to westbound US 50/southbound US 301 from exit 38B of US 50/US 301 to an entrance to US 50/US 301 in Chester, Queen Anne's County, providing access to businesses. *US 50UA is the designation for the section of two-lane undivided Naylor Mill Road between Milford Twilley Drive and West Road in Salisbury, Wicomico County, intersecting US 50 at a diamond interchange. *US 50WA is the designation for the section of two-lane divided Riddle Lane from US 50 north to the end of state maintenance in Grays Corner, Worcester County, where Riddle Lane continues north to provide access to MD 707. *US 50WB is the designation for a two-lane undivided connector from US 50 north to MD 707 in Grays Corner, Worcester County. *US 50WC is the designation for a two-lane undivided connector from US 50 north to MD 707 in Grays Corner, Worcester County.


See also

*


References


External links


US 50 at MDRoads.com

US 50 at AARoads.com

Maryland Roads - US 50







US 50 HOV Project from Md. State Highway Administration


{{3di, 95 U.S. Highways in Maryland, 50 U.S. Route 50, Maryland Roads in Garrett County, Maryland Roads in Prince George's County, Maryland Roads in Anne Arundel County, Maryland Roads in Queen Anne's County, Maryland Roads in Talbot County, Maryland Roads in Dorchester County, Maryland Roads in Wicomico County, Maryland Roads in Worcester County, Maryland Northwestern Turnpike Salisbury, Maryland Monuments and memorials in Maryland