U.S. Route 50 in Maryland

U.S. Route 50
George Washington Highway, John Hanson Highway, Blue Star Memorial Highway, Ocean Gateway
Route information
Maintained by MDSHA
Length	150.06 mi[1] (241.50 km) route is two separate segments within Maryland
Existed	1926–present
Major junctions
Major intersections	US 219 in Redhouse MD 295 near Washington D.C. I-95/I-495 near New Carrollton MD 3 / US 301 in Bowie I-97 in Annapolis MD 404 near Wye Mills US 13 in Salisbury US 113 in Berlin
Location
Country	United States
State	Maryland
Highway system
United States Numbered Highway System List Special Divided Maryland highway system Interstate US State Scenic Byways
← MD 49 → MD 51

There are two sections of U.S. Route 50 that run through the state of Maryland. The longer of these two sections serves as a major route connecting Washington, D.C. with Ocean City. The other section runs through Garrett County for less than 10 miles as part of the Northwestern Turnpike, and enters West Virginia at both ends. Some major towns and cities in Maryland served by the route include Bowie, Annapolis, Easton, Cambridge, Salisbury, and Ocean City.

Counties Traversed

US 50 passes through the following Maryland counties:

• Garrett - 9.71 miles (15.63 km)
• (the route leaves Maryland, and passes through West Virginia, Virginia, and the District of Columbia, before reentering Maryland)
• Prince George's - 14.39 miles (23.16 km)
• Anne Arundel - 19.88 miles (31.99 km)
• Queen Anne's - 18.78 miles (30.22 km)
• Talbot - 25.45 miles (40.96 km)
• Dorchester - 16.90 miles (27.20 km)
• Wicomico - 30.69 miles (49.39 km)
• Worcester - 14.40 miles (23.17 km)

Cities and towns

See also: List of cities and towns along U.S. Route 50

• Redhouse
• Cheverly
• Landover Hills
• New Carrollton
• Bowie
• Annapolis
• Stevensville
• Chester
• Grasonville
• Queenstown
• Wye Mills
• Easton
• Trappe
• Cambridge
• Vienna
• Mardela Springs
• Salisbury
• Berlin
• Ocean City

Route description

George Washington Highway

See also: U.S. Route 50 in West Virginia

A portion of US 50 runs through Garrett County along the old Northwestern Turnpike for less than 10 miles in Maryland. Today this section of the highway is named George Washington Highway after George Washington. US 50 intersects only two numbered highways along this stretch: US 219 in Redhouse, and MD 560 east of there. In sharp contrast to the longer of US 50's two Maryland segments, this section is a quiet two-lane rural highway with little traffic.

John Hanson Highway

See also: Interstate 595 (Maryland)

The John Hanson Highway, named for John Hanson, was the first section of US 50 to be upgraded to a freeway in Maryland. It runs from Washington D.C.'s New York Avenue to Maryland Route 2 outside of Annapolis. Between the Capital Beltway and Annapolis' Rowe Boulevard, the John Hanson Highway is part of the Interstate Highway System and is secretly designated as Interstate 595. Part of the John Hanson Highway in Prince George's County has HOV lanes, as is common with many freeways near Washington, DC. US 301 merges with the highway in Bowie and overlaps US 50 and I-595 through Annapolis (where I-595 ends) and over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge until reaching Queenstown on the Eastern Shore.

Blue Star Memorial Highway

In Annapolis, US 50 becomes a blue star memorial highway, and past the end of the John Hanson Highway, it takes on the name "Blue Star Memorial Highway". This designation continues east across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge to the split with US 301 where US 301 picks up the designation and keeps it until passing the Delaware state line. The US 50/301 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 divided highway with several local roads intersecting it. After being upgraded, many of these intersections became sharp right-in/right-out ramps.

Ocean Gateway

Sign used alongside US 50 shields along Ocean Gateway.

File:Rt50 termini md ca sign.jpg

Nighttime view of the sign at the eastern terminus of US 50 in Ocean City, indicating the distance to the western terminus in Sacramento, California.

US 50 becomes known as Ocean Gateway in Queenstown after the split with 301 and keeps this name up to its terminus in Ocean City. Continuing east from the US 50/US 301 split south of Queenstown, the highway intersects Maryland Route 213 and Maryland Route 404, two major rural highways on the Delmarva Peninsula. After intersecting MD 213, US 50 begins following a north/south path, although it continues to be signed as east/west. After reaching Cambridge, it resumes an east/west path after crossing the Choptank River. The route bypasses the town of Vienna and crosses the Nanticoke River north of the town.

Approaching Salisbury, the route diverges onto the Salisbury Bypass, a partial 3/4 beltway around the city; the four-mile segment connecting US 50 to the eastern portion of the bypass was completed in September 2002. Business US 50, the former routing of US 50, goes directly through Salisbury, following US 50's pre-2002 routing.

On the final stretch toward Ocean City, Maryland Route 90 branches off toward the northern part of the city, bypassing the town of Berlin, while US 50 passes through Berlin, interchanging with US 113 near the town. The route continues to Downtown Ocean City. Although the route's ceremonial eastern terminus is at Maryland Route 528, Philadelphia Avenue, eastbound US 50 actually continues past MD 528 and ends at Maryland Route 378, Baltimore Avenue, a short distance from the Ocean City Boardwalk.

Points of interest

• Severn River Bridge in Annapolis (rededicated as the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge in December, 2006)
• US Naval Academy (has its own exit off of US 50)
• Chesapeake Bay Bridge
• Kent Island (site of the oldest English settlement in Maryland)
• Kent Narrows Bridge between Kent Island and Grasonville
• Frederick C. Malkus Bridge in Cambridge
• Nanticoke River Memorial Bridge in Vienna
• Harry W. Kelly Memorial Bridge in Ocean City
• Ocean City Boardwalk, near the eastern terminus

Junction list

Exits are numbered from west to east, in accordance with AASHTO guidelines.

County	Location	Mile	#	Destinations	Notes
US 50 continues from West Virginia
Garrett	Redhouse	2.1		US 219 US 219 / Garrett Highway - Oakland	former route of
		9.1		Maryland Route 560 / Gorman Rd. - Mountain Lake Park
US 50 exits and reenters Maryland via West Virginia, Virginia, and District of Columbia
Prince George's	Cheverly	0.2		Baltimore-Washington Parkway north - Baltimore	eastbound exit and westbound entrance; B-W Parkway joins westbound and splits eastbound
		0.5		MD 201 south / Kenilworth Avenue - Kenilworth, Washington, D.C. (to D.C. Route 295 and I-295)
		0.5		MD 201 north / Kenilworth Avenue - Greenbelt (to MD 459)
		1.6		MD 459 west / Columbia Park Rd. - Cheverly, Metro Station	eastbound exit and westbound entrance
	Landover	2.8		MD 202 / Landover Road - Upper Marlboro, Bladensburg
	Landover Hills	4.1	5	MD 410 / East-West Highway - Glenarden
	New Carrollton	4.5		US 50PA / Ardwick-Ardmore Rd. - New Carrollton Station	no eastbound exit; road is unsigned spur of
		5.0	7	I-95 / I-495 / Capital Beltway - Baltimore, Richmond	split into 7A (south) and 7B (north)
	US 50 joins with I-595 unsigned
		6.1	8	MD 704 / Martin Luther King Jr. Highway - Glenarden
	Bowie	11.7	11	MD 197 / Collington Road - Bowie
		13.1	13	US 301 south / Maryland Route 3 north / Robert Crain Highway - Upper Marlboro, Crofton	split into 13A ( South), 13B ( North) and 13C (Belair Drive)
	US 301 joins US 50 and I-595 unsigned
Anne Arundel		16.5	16	Maryland Route 424 / Davidsonville Road - Davidsonville, Crofton
	Annapolis	21.2	21	Interstate 97 north / Maryland Route 665 east - Baltimore, Downtown Annapolis	terminates at
		23.0	22	Maryland Route 450 / Defense Highway - Parole, Crownsville (to MD 178)
		23.5	23	Maryland Route 2 south / Solomons Island Rd. - Edgewater	silently joins
		24.8	24A-B	Maryland Route 70 south / Rowe Boulevard-Bestgate Road - Annapolis	split into 24A ( south) and 24B (Bestgate Road) westbound
	I-595 unsigned ends at MD 70
	Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge / Severn River Bridge - Severn River
	Arnold	26.7	27	MD 2 north / MD 450 south / Governor Ritchie Highway - Baltimore, Severna Park, Naval Academy	split into 27A ( south) and 27B ( north) westbound; diverges from
				MD 648 north / Baltimore-Annapolis Boulevard	direct turnoff from westbound carriageway
		27.6	28	Bay Dale Drive - Bay Hills Golf Club
		29.2	29	Maryland Route 179 / St. Margarets Road / Busch's Frontage Road / Cape St. Claire Road / East College Parkway / (MD 908A) / (MD 931Q)	split into 29A () and 29B (Cape St. Claire Road) eastbound
	Sandy Point	30.6	31	Maryland Route 908C east / Whitehall Road	direct turnoff from eastbound carriageway
		31.4	32	Maryland Route 908D north / Oceanic Drive - Sandy Point State Park
Chesapeake Bay Bridge (toll: $2.50 cars - eastbound only) - Chesapeake Bay
Queen Anne's	Stevensville	37.2	37	Maryland Route 8 / Romancoke Road- Stevensville, Romancoke (to MD 18)
		37.9	38A	Maryland Route 835A north / Thompson Creek Road-Duke Street	Thomspon Creek Rd: eastbound exit and entrance; Duke Street: westbound entrance and exit (right-in/right-out)
		38.9	38B	Shopping Center Rd. - to Main St.	westbound entrance and exit
		39.0	39A	Maryland Route 18H / Castle Marina Road-Cox Neck Rd.	Castle Marina Rd: westbound entrance and exit; Cox Neck Rd: eastbound exit and entrance
	Chester	39.5	39B	Maryland Route 552 / Dominion Rd.-Chester Station Ln. - to Maryland Route 18T	: eastbound exit and entrance; Chester Station Ln: westbound entrance and exit
		40.1	40A	Piney Creek Road	right-in/right-out entrance/exit from both carriageways
		40.5	40B	Dundee Avenue	eastbound exit and entrance
	Kent Narrows	40.8	41	Maryland Route 18 / Main Street-Piney Narrows Rd. - Kent Narrows	: eastbound exit and entrance; Piney Narrows Rd: westbound entrance and exit
		Kent Narrows Bridge - Kent Narrows
		41.9	42	Maryland Route 18 - Main Street / Maryland Route 835 west / Kent Narrows Rd. - Kent Narrows	: eastbound entrance and exit; : westbound entrance and exit
	Grasonville	42.8	43A	Maryland Route 18 / Main Street / Maryland Route 835 / Long Point Rd.-Jackson Creek Rd. - Grasonville	: eastbound entrance and exit; : westbound entrance and exit
		43.4	43B	Chester River Beach Road - to MD 18 and MD 835	westbound entrance only; full eastbound access available
		43.8	44A	Station Ln. / VFW Ave. - to MD 18	Station Ln: eastbound exit and entrance; VFW Ave: westbound entrance and exit
		44.2	44B	Maryland Route 835 / Winchester Creek Rd-Evans Ave. - to MD 18	: westbound entrance and exit; Evans Ave: eastbound exit and entrance
		44.5	45A	Homeport Dr.-Hess Rd. - to MD 18 and MD 835	Homeport Dr: westbound entrance and exit; Hess Rd: eastbound exit and entrance
		44.9	45B	Nesbit Road - to MD 18 and MD 835
	Queenstown	46.1	46	US 301 north / Blue Star Memorial Highway - Warwick, Wilmington DE	eastbound exit and westbound entrance; freeway ends
	diverges from
	Queenstown	46.3		Maryland Route 18 / Main Street	first at-grade intersection after the end of the freeway
		47.7		Maryland Route 456 north / Del Rhodes Ave. - to US 301
		49.1		Carmichael Rd.
		50.7		Maryland Route 662 south / Wye Mills Rd. - Wye Mills	northern terminus of former route of and through Wye Mills
	Wye Mills	51.6		Maryland Route 213 - Centreville, Chesapeake City	former route of
		53.1		Maryland Route 404 - Denton, Rehoboth	intersection lies on top of county line
Talbot		55.4		Maryland Route 662 north / Old Wye Mills Rd. - Wye Mills	southern terminus of former route of and through Wye Mills
		55.8		Maryland Route 662B south / Wye Mills Easton Rd.	former route of and
		57.7		Maryland Route 662B/662C / Wye Mills Easton Rd.	former route of and
	Easton	61.8		Maryland Route 309 north / Cordova Rd. - Cordova
		62.7		Maryland Route 322 south / Easton Parkway - St. Michaels (to MD 33)
		64.2		Maryland Route 328 / Matthestown Rd.-Goldsborough Rd. - Denton
		64.5		Maryland Route 331 / Dover Road - Preston	former route of before construction of Choptank River bridge
		65.4		Dutchmans Lane - to MD 565
		66.9		Maryland Route 322 north / Maryland Route 565 north / Easton Parkway - St. Michaels (to MD 33)	ends at ; joins
		67,7		Maryland Route 565 south / Old Trappe Rd. - Trappe	diverges from
	Trappe	73.02		Main St.-Barber Road (to MD 565)
Frederick C. Malkus Bridge - Choptank River
Dorchester	Cambridge	79.3		Maryland Avenue
		80.1		Maryland Route 343 west / Washington St. - Hudson
		80.8		Maryland Route 16 west / Gypsy Hill Rd. - Church Creek	joins
		81.2		Maryland Route 750 east / Old Route 50	frontage road
		82.0		Maryland Route 750 west / Old Route 50	frontage road
		83.5		Maryland Route 16 east / Mt. Holly Rd. - East New Market	diverges from
		93.5		To Marsh Rd. - Vienna	former route of and
	Vienna	94.5		Maryland Route 331 - Vienna, Rhodesdale	grade-separated interchange between routes
Nanticoke Memorial Bridge - Nanticoke River
Wicomico		97.1		Maryland Route 731C north / Old Bradley Rd.	frontage road
		97.5		Maryland Route 731A west / Marsh Rd.	former route of
	Mardela Springs	99.9		Maryland Route 313 north / Delmar Rd. - Delmar (via MD 54), Sharptown
		104.8		Maryland Route 347 south / N Main St. - Hebron
		105.9		Maryland Route 670 west / Lillian St. - Hebron
	Salisbury	107.8		US 50 Business east / Salisbury Parkway - Salisbury	grade-separated interchange between routes; is the pre-2003 alignment through Salisbury
		US 50 diverges from US 50 Bus. and follows Salisbury Bypass
		111.37		US 13 north ( Ocean Highway) / US 13 Business south / Salisbury Boulevard - Dover, Salisbury	grade-separated interchange between routes; is the pre-1980 alignment through Salisbury
		114.46		US 13 south / Salisbury Bypass ( Ocean Highway) / US 50 Business / Salisbury Parkway - Norfolk	grade-separated interchange between routes
		US 50 converges with US 50 Bus. and leaves Salisbury Bypass
		118.96		Maryland Route 992 / Eastside Rd.	frontage road
		124.6		Maryland Route 354 / Powellville Rd. - Powellville (to MD 12)	north connects to
Worcester		126.93		Maryland Route 610 north / Whaleyville Rd. - Whaleyville
		129.23		Maryland Route 90 north / Ocean City Expwy - Ocean Pines, Ocean City (to US 113)	grade-separated interchange between routes
		131.05		Maryland Route 346 / Old Ocean City Rd. - Whaleyville, Berlin	former route of before 1963-1966
		131.79		Maryland Route 992F / Caleb Rd. (to MD 346)	frontage road
	Berlin	132.8		Maryland Route 818 / Main St. (to US 113)	former route of through Berlin
		133.13		US 113 / Worcester Highway - Dover, Snow Hill	grade-separated interchange between routes
		133.96		Maryland Route 346 west / Old Ocean City Rd.	former route of through Berlin
		134.47		Maryland Route 452 north / Friendship Rd.-Seahawk Rd. (to MD 575)
		135.73		Maryland Route 589 north / Racetrack Rd. - to MD 90
		136.55		US 50WA - to Holly Grove Rd. south	frontage road
		138.2		Maryland Route 707A west / Old Bridge Rd.	frontage road
	Ocean City	139.02		Maryland Route 611 south / Stephen Decatur Highway - Assateague Island, Chincoteague Island
		Harry W. Kelly Memorial Bridge - Isle of Wight Bay (Sinepuxent Bay)
		140.42		Maryland Route 528 north / Philadelphia Avenue	one-way southbound street
		140.49		Maryland Route 378 north / Baltimore Avenue	one-way northbound street
ends at ; road continues as N. Division St.

Related routes

• Maryland Route 18
• Maryland Route 404
• Maryland Route 450
• Maryland Route 662

See also

• U.S. Route 301 in Maryland

External links

• US 50 at MDRoads.com
• US 50 at Delmarva Highways
• US 50 at Froggie's Place