Maryland Route 318
Maryland Route 318 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The state highway runs from MD 16/MD 331 at Linchester east to the Delaware state line near Federalsburg, where the highway continues east as Delaware Route 18. MD 318 connects Federalsburg with Preston and Bridgeville, Delaware. The state highway follows the Dorchester-Caroline county line for most of its length between Linchester and Federalsburg. The county line road is considered to be in Caroline County for maintenance purposes. Further east, MD 318 runs concurrently with MD 313 to bypass Federalsburg. The portion of MD 318 west of Federalsburg was originally numbered Maryland Route 319 and assumed by MD 318 in the mid-1950s. The MD 319 section was constructed in the late 1910s near Federalsburg and completed west to MD 16/MD 331 in the late 1920s. MD 318 east of Federalsburg was built in the mid-1920s. MD 318 was placed on the bypass of Federalsburg in the early 1960s; its old alignment through Federalsburg became MD 315.
Route description
MD 318 begins at an intersection with MD 16/MD 331 at Linchester, just south of the Caroline-Dorchester county line. MD 16/MD 331 head south from the intersection as East New Market Ellwood Road and west as a continuation of Preston Road toward the town of Preston. MD 318 heads east as Preston Road, a two-lane undivided road that intersects Langrell Road and Beulah Road a short distance east of its western terminus. Langrell Road is unsigned MD 817B, which follows the county line west to a dead end at Hunting Creek. MD 318 continues east along the county line through farmland between Dorchester County to the south and Caroline County to the north. The state highway intersects American Corner Road and passes Magennis Farm Airport in the hamlet of Hynson. MD 318 fully enters Caroline County shortly after passing Lovers Road, then intersects MD 313 and MD 315. MD 315, the old alignment of MD 318, continues straight east toward downtown Federalsburg, while MD 318 turns south and runs concurrently with MD 313 on a bypass of the town of Federalsburg.MD 313/MD 318 intersect MD 307 at the Federalsburg Roundabout. The highway crosses the Seaford Line of the Maryland and Delaware Railroad at-grade as the highway gently curves to the east. After passing Main Street, which is unsigned MD 308, MD 313/MD 318 cross Marshyhope Creek. East of the creek, MD 313 turns south onto Reliance Road; the old alignment of MD 313 heads north toward downtown Federalsburg as Reliance Avenue. MD 318 continues east through an industrial area along Federalsburg Highway, which crosses the Seaford Line track again at-grade. The state highway crosses Tanyard Branch before meeting the other end of MD 315. MD 318 continues east as Bridgeville Road to the Delaware state line, where the highway heads toward the town of Bridgeville as DE 18.