U.S. Route 40 in Maryland
U.S. Route 40 in the U.S. state of Maryland runs from Garrett County in Western Maryland to Cecil County in the state's northeastern corner. With a total length of, it is the longest numbered highway in Maryland. Almost half of the road overlaps or parallels with Interstate 68 or I-70, while the old alignment is generally known as US 40 Alternate, US 40 Scenic, or Maryland Route 144. West of Baltimore, in the Piedmont and
Appalachian Mountains / Blue Ridge region of the Western Maryland panhandle of the small state, the portions where it does not overlap an Interstate highway are mostly two-lane roads. The portion northeast of Baltimore going toward Wilmington in northern Delaware and Philadelphia in southeastern Pennsylvania is a four-lane divided highway, known as the Pulaski Highway. This section crosses the Susquehanna River at the north end of the Chesapeake Bay on the Thomas J. Hatem Memorial Bridge.
From Cumberland on the western branch of the Potomac River and terminus of the historic Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, west to Pennsylvania, US 40 is the successor to the historic route of the National Road, first Federal interstate road built in the early 19th century which eventually ran from Baltimore west, through Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois to Vandalia, then territorial capital of the Illinois Territory near the Mississippi River.
East of Cumberland, towards Baltimore, US 40 follows several former private company turnpikes, most notably the Cumberland Turnpike, Baltimore and Frederick-town Turnpike, later known as Frederick Road between Baltimore and Frederick.
The route from Baltimore northeast to the Delaware state line follows another historic East Coast / Northeast Corridor routing towards Philadelphia, New York City and Boston including the old Baltimore and Havre-de-Grace Turnpike.
Route description
US 40 enters Maryland from Pennsylvania in Garrett County and follows a two-lane undivided road to Keysers Ridge. Between Keysers Ridge and Hancock, US 40 runs concurrent with I-68 across the mountains of Western Maryland, passing through Cumberland. In Hancock, US 40 becomes concurrent with I-70 and follows the Potomac River before it splits from I-70. US 40 follows a two-lane road parallel to I-70 east to Hagerstown, where it passes through the center of the city and turns southeast. Between Hagerstown and Frederick, the route heads southeast along a two-lane road parallel to I-70 through rural areas. In Frederick, US 40 joins US 15 on a freeway alignment before it continues east concurrent with I-70. US 40 follows I-70 east through rural areas to Howard County, where it splits from I-70 and continues along a multilane divided highway through suburban areas, passing through Ellicott City. The route heads east through the city of Baltimore along city streets, with a freeway section located west of downtown Baltimore. US 40 continues northeast from Baltimore along Pulaski Highway, a multilane divided highway that runs parallel to I-95 through suburban areas, passing through Aberdeen. Between Havre de Grace and Perryville, the route crosses the Susquehanna River on the Thomas J. Hatem Memorial Bridge. US 40 continues east parallel to I-95 and leaves Maryland for Delaware in Elkton.Throughout Maryland, US 40 is paralleled by several former alignments that are designated as U.S. or state highways. US 40 Alt. is designated along the former alignment between Keysers Ridge and Cumberland while another US 40 Alt. runs along the former alignment between Hagerstown and Frederick. US 40 Scenic is designated along a former alignment parallel to I-68/US 40 in eastern Allegany County and western Washington County. MD 144 is designated along several separate former alignments between Cumberland and Baltimore while MD 7 is designated along several separate former alignments between Baltimore and Elkton.
Garrett County
US 40 enters Maryland from Pennsylvania in Garrett County in the Western Maryland region of the state. From the state line, the route heads southeast on National Pike, a three-lane undivided road with one eastbound lane and two westbound lanes that soon narrows to a two-lane road as it descends Winding Ridge, which is part of the Allegheny Mountains. The road runs through wooded areas with some farmland and homes, with MD 733C looping to the north. US 40 continues southeast through sections of the Savage River State Forest and has a junction with MD 826H, at which point it curves east and passes businesses as a four-lane undivided road before intersecting the western terminus of US 40 Alt. in the community of Keysers Ridge. At this point, US 40 Alt. continues east along National Pike while US 40 turns south onto a two-lane road and comes to a cloverleaf interchange with I-68 and US 219.At this interchange, US 219 continues south along the two-lane road while US 40 heads southeast concurrent with I-68 and US 219 on National Freeway, a four-lane freeway that has a third lane for trucks while climbing hills and mountains. The road curves east and passes through another section of the Savage River State Forest, heading across Negro Mountain. Past the crossing of Negro Mountain, I-68/US 40/US 219 passes through a mix of farmland and woodland, coming to a diamond interchange with MD 495 to the south of the town of Grantsville. Following this interchange, the freeway descends a hill before it crosses the Casselman River. After crossing the river, the road ascends a hill, running through wooded areas and curving to the east-southeast. US 219 splits from I-68/US 40 by heading north on a freeway at a dumbbell interchange; this interchange also marks the southern terminus of US 219 Bus. From here, I-68/US 40 continues east-southeast along the National Freeway as it ascends forested Meadow Mountain. At the summit of the mountain, the road reaches an interchange with Lower New Germany Road. Past this interchange, the freeway descends the mountain. I-68/US 40 heads east through a mix of farmland and woodland, ascending and descending two hills and crossing the Eastern Continental Divide. Farther east, the freeway curves southeast and comes to an interchange with MD 546 in Finzel. Following this, the road heads across forested Savage Mountain.
Allegany County
I-68/US 40 crosses into Allegany County and continues to descend Savage Mountain, coming to an eastbound weigh station. The road curves south and then southeast before it comes to a diamond interchange with Midlothian Road in Midlothian that provides access to the city of Frostburg and Frostburg State University to the northeast. From here, the freeway turns east as it runs through wooded areas with some nearby development, crossing over Georges Creek and MD 936 before passing south of God's Ark of Safety church and reaching an interchange with MD 36 that serves Frostburg. I-68/US 40 continues east-northeast and descends a hill, passing over Spruce Hollow and MD 55 to the south of Clarysville. The median of the road widens and it heads across forested Dans Mountain, with US 40 Alt. parallel a short distance to the north in the Braddock Run valley. After crossing Dans Mountain, the freeway leaves the Allegheny Mountains. At this point, I-68/US 40 reaches a partial interchange connecting to US 40 Alt. and MD 53 in La Vale, with a westbound exit and entrance and an eastbound entrance. Following this, the road passes near developed areas and comes to a partial interchange with Vocke Road, with all movements except a westbound entrance. At this interchange, southbound US 220 Truck becomes concurrent with westbound I-68/US 40, splitting to head south along Vocke Road. From here, the freeway turns northeast and ascends forested Haystack Mountain. The road turns east and reaches the summit of the mountain, where it begins to descend the mountain. I-68/US 40 comes to a westbound ramp with Seton Drive that provides access to MD 49.Following this, the freeway curves northeast and enters the city of Cumberland, coming to an interchange with US 220. At this point, US 220 Truck ends and US 220 joins I-68/US 40 on the National Freeway, which descends a 6 percent grade. The road passes south of residential areas of the city, coming to a bridge over CSX's Mountain Subdivision railroad line and Kelly Road, where there is an eastbound entrance from Kelly Road. From here, the freeway runs along the north bank of the North Branch Potomac River and curves northeast through developed areas, coming to an eastbound right-in/right-out interchange with Johnson Street and a westbound right-in/right-out interchange with Beall Street that serves Cumberland along with Ridgeley, West Virginia across the river. I-68/US 40/US 220 continues east and passes over Wills Creek and the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad south of the Cumberland station, heading away from the North Branch Potomac River, before passing over the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and coming to an interchange with MD 51 to the south of downtown Cumberland. Past this interchange, the road passes over CSX's Cumberland Terminal Subdivision railroad line south of the Cumberland station serving Amtrak's Capitol Limited train before it reaches a right-in/right-out interchange serving Maryland Avenue near homes and some businesses. From here, the freeway curves northeast and passes through wooded areas with nearby development before coming to a diamond interchange with the eastern terminus of US 40 Alt. and the western terminus of MD 639.
I-68/US 40/US 220 continues northeast through forested areas and leaves Cumberland, reaching an interchange with Hillcrest Drive. Following this, the road comes to a westbound exit and entrance with MD 144, where it curves east and US 220 splits from I-68/US 40 by heading north at an interchange that also has access to MD 144. Past this interchange, I-68/US 40 ascends a grade as it runs through forested areas with some fields, curving northeast and passing over MD 144. The freeway continues northeast, with MD 144 closely parallel to the southeast, and comes to a diamond interchange with Pleasant Valley Road that provides access to Rocky Gap State Park to the north. From here, the road ascends Martin Mountain Ridge and comes to an eastbound exit and westbound entrance with MD 144 at the summit of the ridge. From here, the I-68/US 40 descends the ridge, turning to the southeast and east as it runs through a mix of farmland and woodland closely parallel to MD 144. The freeway reaches an interchange connecting to MD 144 in Flintstone. From here, the road heads across Polish Mountain, curving southeast. I-68/US 40 turns east and continues through the Green Ridge State Forest parallel to MD 144. Farther east, the freeway passes under MD 144 before it comes to an interchange with the western terminus of US 40 Scenic at Fifteen Mile Creek Road. Past this interchange, the road turns southeast before it curves east and reaches an interchange with M.V. Smith Road. I-68/US 40 turns northeast and descends Town Hill. The road heads into wooded areas with some farm fields and curves east to an interchange with Orleans Road. The freeway continues east as it descends a grade before passing under US 40 Scenic, which begins to parallel the freeway to the south. I-68/US 40 reaches an interchange with High Germany Road in Bellegrove, where US 40 Scenic joins the freeway. Past this interchange, the road crosses Sideling Hill Creek.