List of unused highways in Maryland

An unused highway may reference a highway or highway ramp that was partially or fully constructed but was unused^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]} or later closed.^[10][11][12] An unused ramp can be referred to as a stub ramp,^[13] stub street,^[2][14][15] stub-out,^[2] or simply stub.^[16][17] The following is a list of those in the U.S. state of Maryland:

Maryland

Aspen Hill

• On Maryland Route 185 (Connecticut Avenue) between Randolph Road (Maryland Route 183) and Aspen Hill Rd., several short ramp stubs may be seen as the road passes over the Turkey Branch of Rock Creek ^[18] in Matthew Henson State Park. These were originally built for the Washington Outer Beltway,^[19] first conceived in the 1950s and an active proposal until about 1980.^[20] Matthew Henson State Park itself was originally land set aside for the Outer Beltway, and this open land extends to Maryland Route 97 (Georgia Avenue).

Baltimore

Interstate 70 was proposed to enter the city of Baltimore and end at Interstate 95 but was canceled due to protests from residents. Prior to the cancellation, ramps for interchanges were constructed and many can still be seen today. More information about Baltimore's interstates is here.^[21]

• The mainline of I-70 ends at a Park and Ride at exit 94 (Maryland Route 122).^[22]
• A stretch of U.S. Highway 40 west of downtown contains a short below-grade freeway alignment, which was completed in 1979^[23] as part of a planned routing of Interstate 170 into downtown and was actually signed as such. When the I-70 extension into the city was canceled, this small freeway segment was orphaned with brief discussions about connecting it to I-95 just south of the spur. Currently, U.S. 40 runs east-west on a one-way couplet of surface streets, enters this segment for part of its length, and returns to the surface streets at the other end. Stubs at the west end of the freeway segment sit unused, as do an on- and off-ramp at that end. There is also an empty sign bridge^[24] for the never-to-be westbound traffic. Viewable at
• Also due to the cancellation of I-70 through the city are ramp stubs along Interstate 95 at the proposed eastern terminus of I-70^[22] (proposed exit 50C). Two are viewable here , showing a stub from I-95 southbound to proposed I-70 west and one from I-70 east to I-95 north. Two others are here , showing the ramp stub left from I-70 east to I-95 south (the huge bridge that was constructed in advance of I-70 arriving at I-95 has since been demolished, but can be seen overhead here and is now just a berm on the right of the highway^[25]) and a long approach ramp from I-95 north to I-70 west that ends shortly after curving underneath I-95.

Other Baltimore highways:

• Interstate 83 was also truncated from its originally proposed terminus. North of the Fort McHenry Tunnel, ramp stubs are located on Interstate 95 at exit 57 just south of Interstate Avenue and just north of O'Donnell Street , which would have marked the original southern terminus of the expressway, termed the Jones Falls Expressway, had it continued beyond downtown.^[22]
• Ramp stubs exist on Interstate 695 for the proposed Windlass Freeway. The freeway was to continue north from here.^[26] There is also a ramp stub on the eastbound bridge of Maryland Route 702 just after it separates from I-695.
• Immediately south of this intersection, Interstate 695 has a hairpin turn and two additional pairs of ramp stubs; the Windlass Freeway would have continued to the west from this turn to meet Interstate 95. The first bridge immediately to the south of this turn has stubs marking where the ramps for the Windlass began and the other pair of stubs are in the median, east of the turn.^[26] This would have been the exit 37 off I-695, had the freeway been built.
• At the western end of where the proposed Windlass Freeway would have connected are four ramp stubs at the interchange between Interstate 95 and Moravia Road (exit 60).^[26] Viewable at

Bel Air

• The Bel Air Bypass, U.S. Route 1, has two ghost stubs at its southern intersection with Maryland Route 24.

College Park

• Between Baltimore and Washington, Interstate 95 merges with Interstate 495, the Capital Beltway around Washington. The interchange is known locally as the College Park Interchange. At the intersection of both freeways, a partially unused mainline roadway and several ramp stubs can be seen. I-95 was originally supposed to continue through D.C. as the Northeast Freeway and North Central Freeway, but plans were scrapped^[27] after vigorous and vitriolic protest from residents in the path(s) of the proposed freeway routes. I-95 now continues onto the eastern half of I-495, and the finished portion of I-95's route through D.C. is known as Interstate 395. The stub ramps and a portion of the planned right-of-way were converted into a truck weigh station and a Park and Ride but an old map still shows grading in the right-of-way. Viewable at

Frederick

• Two loop ramps at the junction of I-270 and Maryland Route 85 were closed, as seen here , to reduce the slowing effect of merging traffic on I-270.

Silver Spring

• On Maryland Route 390 (16th Street ), near its northern terminus at Maryland Route 97 (Georgia Avenue), the road's north and south lanes separate. In the middle of that split is some unused pavement leading into the trees. This was originally intended to continue on as a divided highway, which was to run a northeasterly direction toward Sligo Creek Park. In fact, this is why the Sligo Creek trail has its very own wide underpass below the Capital Beltway; it was originally built for that highway.

Rossville

Air photo of Exit 33 on August 16, 2010, showing completed flyover ramps. Facing southwest.

• The Interstate 95/Interstate 695 interchange was reconfigured in 2009 to eliminate left-hand exits on both interstates. This project also eliminated the crossover of I-95 main lanes, leaving many ramp stubs and old bridges. The new configuration of I-95 at this point will have express toll lanes in the center median, likely removing remnants of the old through lane crossover configuration, though the old pavement is still visible from an overhead view.

Sykesville

• Maryland Route 32 crosses over the South Branch of the Patapsco River, which separates Carroll County and Howard County, on a new bridge build right next to the old alignment. The old bridge still remains just to the east and has some grading in the grass where the highway formerly aligned.

See also

• List of unused highways
• List of ghost towns in Maryland

References