U.S. Route 301 in Maryland

U.S. Route 301
U.S. Route 301
Route information
	Maintained by MDSHA
Length	123.30 mi (198.43 km)
Existed	1940–present
Major junctions
South end	US 301 at Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge
	MD 5 in Brandywine; MD 4 in Upper Marlboro; US 50 in Bowie; I-97 in Annapolis; MD 2 in Annapolis; MD 18 near Queenstown; MD 213 near Centreville; MD 313 near Galena
North end	US 301 in Warwick
Location
Country	United States
State	Maryland
Highway system
	United States Numbered Highway System; List; Special; Divided; Maryland highway system; Interstate; US; State; Scenic Byways;

"Blue Star Memorial Highway (Maryland)" redirects here. See also, U.S. Route 50 in Maryland#Blue Star Memorial Highway

U.S. Route 301 in Maryland is a major highway that runs from Delaware to the Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge into Virginia. It passes through three of Maryland's four main regions: the Eastern Shore, the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area, and Southern Maryland. US 301 serves mainly as a bypass of Baltimore and Washington from Delaware to Virginia.

Route description

Robert Crain Highway

US 301 is a minimum of four lanes throughout the state of Maryland. It enters the state via the Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge and joins the original route of Maryland Route 3 near the town of Newburg in Charles County. Between the Potomac River and the city of Bowie, the route is known as the Robert Crain Highway. Running north, the highway serves the towns of La Plata, Waldorf (where it briefly overlaps MD 5), Brandywine, Upper Marlboro (where it interchanges with MD 4 the Stephanie Roper Highway) , and Bowie before joining US 50 in Bowie and meeting the southern terminus of MD 3, which continues along the Crain Highway to I-97 and MD 32.

John Hanson Highway

Now following US 50 (and secret I-595) east along the John Hanson Highway, the route serves Annapolis and crosses the Severn River via the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge before traversing Sandy Point State Park to the foot of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. The route meets the southern terminus of Interstate 97, which connects to the highway near the western terminus of MD 665, a freeway spur into downtown Annapolis. US 301 connects to other local highways such as MD 450, MD 2 (which joins the route at this interchange), and MD 70. At MD 70, secret I-595 ends, and US 50, US 301 and MD 2 continue across the Severn River. Both highways form an effective freeway bypass of Annapolis, but both highways also experience enormous backups in the eastbound direction during the summer months due to heavy tourist traffic attempting to cross the Chesapeake Bay. Along the Annapolis section, the freeway takes on a blue star memorial highway designation.

Blue Star Memorial Highway

After crossing the Severn River, the Blue Star Memorial Highway designation becomes the road's name, Blue Star Memorial Highway. Upon crossing the Chesapeake Bay, US 301 enters Queen Anne's County at Kent Island. Continuing east, the highway leaves the island and enters the Delmarva Peninsula as it crosses the Kent Narrows via a high-level bridge (with MD 18 making use of the original drawbridge). US 301 and US 50 separate near Queenstown. At the split, US 50 continues as the Ocean Gateway to Ocean City. The segment between the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and the 50-301 split is noted for the many right-in/right-out interchanges with MD 18 and MD 835, a legacy of the days when the route was a four-lane at-grade expressway.

Downgrading from a six-lane freeway to a four-lane at-grade expressway, the route runs north, serving as one of the backbones of the Delmarva Peninsula. Still known as the Blue Star Memorial Highway, the route connects with several major highways in the northern segment of the Eastern Shore, including MD 213 and MD 313. It narrows abruptly to a two-lane country road as it enters the state of Delaware.

History

In 1940, the completion of the Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge heralded the entry of US 301 into Maryland. A short connector between the northern end of the bridge and MD 3 resulted in the majority of the latter route being taken over by US 301, with only a small portion remaining signed as MD 3 (this portion is now MD 257).

Originally, the route went all the way along former MD 3 into Baltimore and ended near present-day Maryland Route 295 Russell Street. As US 301, it was upgraded into a four- and six-lane divided highway throughout in the 1940s and 1950s. In the 1960s, the route was rerouted along US 50 to the Eastern Shore where it split from US 50 and was routed from there up former Maryland Route 71 into Delaware. Today, Route 301 is a multi-lane highway throughout its path through the state with the exception of the Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge; the nine miles (14 km) of MD 3 between US 50 and Interstate 97 is also a four- and six-lane divided highway and is part of the same continuous physical route.

The segment of the highway between the eastern end of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and the US 50/US 301 split in Queenstown was originally built as a four-lane at-grade divided expressway. By the late 1980s, traffic levels were so high that the route was upgraded into a six-lane grade-separated limited-access expressway, with most of the intersections converted into right-in/right-out interchanges, and a few others being converted into more standard interchanges. The upgrade of the route was completed by the early 1990s.

Future developments

As the route enters Delaware, it becomes a two-lane roadway. However, plans exist to replace U.S. Route 301 in Delaware with a tolled freeway that will link the divided US 301 in Maryland with Delaware Route 1, providing a multi-lane alternative to Interstate 95 between Northern Delaware and Washington, D.C.
A group known as the Eastern Shoreway Alliance is seeking to have US 301 from Queenstown to the Delaware line redesignated as the Eastern Shoreway [1], similar to the Ocean Gateway designation of US 50 to the south.

Junction list

County	Location	mi ^[2]	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
King George	Dahlgren	0.00	0.00		US 301 south (James Madison Highway) – Richmond	Southern terminus of US 301 in Maryland; Virginia state line at Potomac River
Potomac River		0.00– 1.90	0.00– 3.06	Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge / Potomac River Bridge
Charles	Newburg	2.17	3.49	Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge Toll Plaza (southbound)
	Newburg	3.81	6.13		MD 257 south (Rock Point Road) – Cobb Island	Directional crossover intersection
	Allens Fresh	5.76	9.27		MD 234 east (Budds Creek Road) – Leonardtown	Directional crossover intersection
	La Plata	14.81	23.83		MD 6 (Charles Street/Port Tobacco Road) – Port Tobacco
	La Plata	15.54	25.01		MD 225 west (Hawthorne Road) – Indian Head
	White Plains	19.55	31.46		MD 227 west (Marshall Corner Road) – Pomfret
	White Plains	20.77	33.43		Billingsley Road	Billingsley Road east is MD 925A
	Waldorf	23.31	37.51		MD 228 west (Berry Road) / MD 5 Bus. south (Leonardtown Road) – Accokeek, Hughesville
		26.04	41.91		Mattawoman Drive	Mattawoman Drive is MD 5K
		26.26	42.26		MD 5 south (Mattawoman Beantown Road) – Lexington Park, Leonardtown	No direct access from northbound MD 5 to southbound US 301; missing connections made via Mattawoman Drive; south end of concurrency with MD 5
Prince George's	Brandywine	28.90	46.51		MD 5 north (Branch Avenue) – Washington	Northbound exit, southbound entrance; north end of concurrency with MD 5
	Brandywine	29.20	46.99		MD 381 south (Brandywine Road) – Aquasco
	Marlton	36.62	58.93		MD 382 south (Croom Road) – Aquasco
	Upper Marlboro	40.37	64.97		MD 4 (Stephanie Roper Highway) – Prince Frederick, Washington	Cloverleaf interchange
	Upper Marlboro	41.08	66.11		MD 725 west (Marlboro Pike)
	Bowie	46.22	74.38		Old Central Avenue	Old Central Avenue is MD 978B
		46.36	74.61		MD 214 (Central Avenue) – Washington	Partial cloverleaf interchange; no access from northbound US 301 to eastbound MD 214 or from eastbound MD 214 to southbound US 301; missing movements made via Old Central Avenue
		49.42	79.53		MD 197 north (Collington Road) – Laurel
		50.28	80.92	13	US 50 west (John Hanson Highway) / MD 3 north (Robert Crain Highway) – Washington, Crofton	Split into exits 13A (US 301 south), 13B (MD 3), and 13C (Melford); south end of concurrencies with US 50 and I-595
Anne Arundel		53.70	86.42	16	MD 424 (Davidsonville Road) – Davidsonville, Crofton
	Parole	58.48	94.11	21	I-97 north – Baltimore
		59.54	95.82	22	MD 665 east (Aris T. Allen Boulevard)
		60.20	96.88	23	MD 450 (West Street) to MD 178 – Parole, Crownsville
		60.65	97.61	23A	MD 2 south (Solomons Island Road) – Parole, Prince Frederick	No exit eastbound; west end of concurrency with MD 2
		61.92	99.65	24	MD 70 south (Roscoe Rowe Boulevard) – Annapolis	Split into exits 24A (MD 70) and 24B (Bestgate Road) westbound; eastern terminus of unsigned I-595
	Severn River	62.64– 63.19	100.81– 101.69	Severn River Bridge / Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge
	Arnold	63.83	102.72	27	MD 2 north / MD 450 south (Governor Ritchie Highway) – Severna Park, Naval Academy, Baltimore	Split into exits 27A (MD 450) and 27B (MD 2) westbound; east end of concurrency with MD 2
		64.13	103.21		Baltimore–Annapolis Boulevard north	Unmarked right-in/right-out interchange westbound; officially MD 648F
		64.78	104.25	28	Bay Dale Drive to Old Mill Bottom Road / Ferguson Road
	Cape St. Claire	66.31	106.72	29	MD 179 (St. Margarets Road/Cape St. Claire Road) / MD 908	Split into exits 29A (Busch's Frontage Road) and 29B (Cape St. Claire Road) eastbound; Busch's Frontage Road and East College Parkway are MD 908A and MD 908B, respectively
		66.82	107.54	30	Whitehall Road	Eastbound exit and entrance; Whitehall Road is MD 908C
		67.80	109.11	31	Whitehall Road	Right-in/right-out interchange eastbound; Whitehall Road is MD 908C
	Skidmore	68.60	110.40	32	Oceanic Drive – Sandy Point State Park	Oceanic Drive is MD 908D
	Skidmore	68.89	110.87	Chesapeake Bay Bridge Toll Plaza (eastbound)
Chesapeake Bay		69.26– 73.32	111.46– 118.00	Chesapeake Bay Bridge / William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial Bridge
Queen Anne's	Stevensville	74.38	119.70	37	MD 8 (Business Parkway) – Stevensville, Romancoke
		75.03	120.75	38A	Duke Street	Right-in/right-out interchange westbound
		75.05	120.78	38A	Thompson Creek Road	Right-in/right-out interchange eastbound
	Chester	76.02	122.34	38B	Services	Westbound exit and entrance; frontage road is US 50QC
		76.14	122.54	39A	Cox Neck Road	Right-in/right-out interchange eastbound
		76.15	122.55	39A	Castle Marina Road to MD 18	Right-in/right-out interchange westbound; Castle Marina Road is MD 18H
		76.65	123.36	39B	Piney Creek Road	Right-in/right-out interchange westbound; Piney Creek Road is MD 18T; connector road is MD 552A (Chester Station Road)
		76.67	123.39	39B	MD 552 south (Dominion Road)	Right-in/right-out interchange eastbound
		77.30	124.40	40A	South Piney Road	Right-in/right-out interchange eastbound
		77.33	124.45	40A	Piney Creek Road	Right-in/right-out interchange westbound
		77.68	125.01	40B	Dundee Avenue	Right-in/right-out interchange eastbound
	Kent Narrows	77.92	125.40	41	MD 18 (Main Street) – Kent Narrows West	Westbound ramps are with Piney Narrows Road
	Kent Narrows	78.20– 78.78	125.85– 126.78	Kent Narrows Bridge
	Kent Narrows	79.08	127.27	42	MD 18 (Main Street) – Kent Narrows East	Westbound right-in/right-out interchange with MD 835G (Kent Narrows Road); eastbound right-in/right-out interchange with MD 835 (Seward Marina Road)
	Grasonville	79.76	128.36	43A	Jackson Creek Road	Westbound right-in/right-out interchange; Jackson Creek Road is MD 18U
		79.78	128.39	43A	MD 18 (Main Street) – Grasonville	Eastbound right-in/right-out interchange with unnamed MD 18F
		80.53	129.60	43B	Chester River Beach Road	No westbound exit; Chester River Beach road is MD 18V
		80.93	130.24	44A	VFW Avenue	Westbound right-in/right-out interchange; VFW Avenue is MD 18W
		80.94	130.26	44A	Station Lane	Eastbound right-in/right-out interchange; Station Lane is MD 18I
		81.29	130.82	44B	Winchester Creek Road	Westbound right-in/right-out interchange; Winchester Creek Road is MD 835H
		81.30	130.84	44B	Evans Avenue	Eastbound right-in/right-out interchange; Evans Avenue is MD 18Z
		81.63	131.37	45A	Hissey Road	Westbound right-in/right-out interchange; Hissey Road is MD 835I
		81.64	131.39	45A	Hess Road	Eastbound right-in/right-out interchange; Hess Road is MD 18X
		82.06	132.06	45B	Nesbit Road	Nesbit Road is MD 835K
	Queenstown	83.25	133.98	46	US 50 east (Ocean Gateway) – Ocean City	Northbound exit, southbound entrance; north end of concurrency with US 50
		83.81	134.88		MD 18 (Outlet Center Drive/Main Street)	Superstreet intersection; Outlet Center Drive is MD 18S and Main Street is MD 18C
		84.31	135.68		MD 456 (Del Rhodes Avenue)	Superstreet intersection
		89.01	143.25		MD 213 (Centreville Road) – Centreville, Wye Mills	Partial cloverleaf interchange
		91.91	147.91		MD 304 (Ruthsburg Road) – Centreville, Ruthsburg	Superstreet intersection
		93.60	150.63		MD 305 (Hope Road) – Centreville
		96.37	155.09		Hayden Clark Road – Bay Country Welcome Center	Hayden Clark Road is MD 834
	Price	98.38	158.33		MD 405 (Price Station Road) – Church Hill, Bridgetown
		100.00	160.93		MD 19 (Roberts Station Road) – Church Hill, Ingleside
		101.54	163.41		MD 302 east (Barclay Road) – Barclay
		103.83	167.10		MD 300 (Sudlersville Road) – Church Hill, Sudlersville, Dover	Superstreet intersection
		106.00	170.59		MD 290 (Dudley Corner Road) – Crumpton	Interchange
		109.22	175.77		MD 544 (McGinnes Road) – Millington, Crumpton	Superstreet intersection
Kent		111.21	178.98		MD 291 (River Road) – Millington, Chestertown	Right-in/right-out intersections with MD 701 (Howard Johnson Road) northbound and MD 701A (Edge Road) southbound
		115.10	185.24		MD 313 (Massey Galena Road) – Galena, Massey	Superstreet intersection
	Sassafras	118.72	191.06		MD 290 (Galena Sassafras Road) – Galena, Chestertown	Diamond interchange
Cecil		120.34	193.67		MD 299 south (Massey Sassafras Road) – Sassafras, Warwick
Cecil	Warwick	122.85	197.71		US 301 north (Middletown Warwick Road) – Middletown, Wilmington	Northern terminus of US 301 in Maryland; Delaware state line
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi