| Maryland Route 26 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty Road, Liberty Heights Avenue | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by MDSHA, Baltimore DOT | ||||
| Length: | 44.10 mi[1][2][3][4] (70.97 km) | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end: | US 15 in Frederick | |||
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MD 194 near Walkersville |
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| East end: | MD 140 in Baltimore | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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Maryland highway system
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Maryland Route 26 (MD 26) is an east–west state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Outside of the Baltimore city limits, it is known as Liberty Road; inside the city limits it is known as Liberty Heights Avenue.
The route is the only east–west thoroughfare in Eldersburg; as a result, it is often congested during peak hours.
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From the east, MD 26 begins as Liberty Heights Avenue at MD 129, which at that point is known as Swann Drive and runs along the perimeter of Druid Hill Park. A block later, at Mondawmin Mall and Metro Station, the road curves a little to the right, and then continues 3.6 miles (5.8 km) to Kelox Road, where it changes name to Liberty Road. Traffic is heaviest between Washington Avenue and Rolling Road during the day.
From here, in the Lochearn area, the route becomes suburban in character, and continues 6.7 miles (10.8 km) through the Milford Mill and Randallstown areas before narrowing down to two lanes.
After crossing the Liberty Reservoir (about 11 miles (18 km) from the Baltimore City/County line), the road enters Carroll County, widening again into a four-lane road through the Eldersburg area, particularly as it passes the area's commercial development and the major intersection at Maryland Route 32.
The road continues west until its end at an interchange with US 15 in Frederick. The route is a major thoroughfare in Carroll and Frederick and counties, serving many small towns between Baltimore and Frederick.
Route 26 has a long crossing of the Liberty Reservoir between Baltimore and Carroll Counties. The bridge is divided into two sections around Shervettes Corner in Carroll County.
There is also a crossing of the Monocacy River, which in a westbound direction, has an arch-bridge structure.
In Baltimore City and County, there are two main bus lines operated by the Maryland Transit Administration along MD 26.
There is no public transportation anywhere on Liberty Road west of the Chapman Road loop. Efforts to initiate such service in the past have failed, mostly due to community opposition.
Maryland Route 26 served as a primary route connecting Baltimore to Frederick prior to the arrival of US 40 and I-70. At one time, MD 31 ran to Frederick and MD 26 began when MD 31 turned north to New Windsor and Westminster.
| County | Location | Mile [1][2][3][4] |
Road | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frederick | Frederick | 0.00 | US 15 (Catoctin Mountain Highway) | Western terminus, interchange |
| 0.54 | Wormans Mill Road | Former MD 355 | ||
| 2.20 | MD 194 north (Woodsboro Pike) | Southern terminus of MD 194 | ||
| Libertytown | 9.35 | MD 550 north (Woodsboro Road) | Southern terminus of MD 550 | |
| 9.69 | MD 75 (Green Valley Road) | |||
| 10.11 | MD 31 east (New Windsor Road) | |||
| Carroll | Taylorsville | 18.32 | MD 27 (Ridge Road) | |
| Freedom | 23.04 | MD 97 (Old Washington Road) | Interchange | |
| Eldersburg | 26.62 | MD 32 (Sykesville Road) | ||
| Baltimore | Randallstown | 36.67 | Old Court Road | |
| Milford | 38.64 | I-695 (Baltimore Beltway) – Towson, Glen Burnie | Interchange | |
| Baltimore City | 44.10 | MD 140 (Reisterstown Road) | Eastern terminus | |
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