, Baltimore and south

Just inside the city, the new (as of December 2014) Express Lanes have their last split. The first sign is mostly okay but could use some help with the arrow and should have an exit tab that runs less than the width of the sign. The sign in the second photo is way too far after the gore to be useful.


The Express Lane speed limit is 65 mph, prominently posted next to 55 mph for the free mainline when the latter reduces speed inside the I-695 Beltway. It is less enticing when both roadways are limited to 55 mph, but this is fleeting since they are about to merge.


SB on Exit 57, which mixes my two favorite road objects - button copy and stubs! The stubs are for what would have been the completion of I-83 to the southeast of its current terminus, skirting Baltimore Harbor or even running atop it on fill.


O'Donnell St. WB at the same spot.

And EB.


Continuing SB on appropriately named Interstate Ave., which serves to connect the two halves of Exit 57.


The stub of what would have been I-83 SB to I-95 SB comes back into the Exit 57 ramp. It would have made no sense to go this way and pay the tunnel toll, since Baltimore residents could head west to I-395 and through travelers could use I-695.


At the foot of the next exit (56) and turning left on Leland Ave. to follow the faded square (for Key Bridge, to I-695). Good thing that there are unfaded signs to follow instead, whether well or poorly done.


What's that you say? Not enough stubs? Let's continue with some from I-70, which would have connected to I-95 in the middle of Exit 50. I talk more about that concept on the I-70 page (linked at bottom), so here I'll just present you some photos. The first two are where the SB-WB ramp would have taken off, and the last is the would-be EB-NB ramp.


What would have been the EB-SB ramp. Most of that traffic would be following I-695, so this would have seen the greatest use for inner-city traffic coming from I-170. In fact, after the I-70 proposal died, there was a resurrected concept to use these ramps by connecting them straight over to I-170, which presumably would have become I-795 at that point (since the current 795 did not yet exist).


A perspective from the SB Exit 50 onramp with the I-70 onramp coming in. (It would have split to allow access both to the Exit 50 C-D road and the I-95 mainline.)


Just south of Baltimore, first photo courtesy Lou Corsaro and button copy. I guess Washington is such a major destination that Richmond had to be wiped off the pull-through BGS. If you can't tell, click for a nighttime version that uses the magic of flash to make it even more apparent. Obviously, MD 166 was the original Exit 47, and then when I-195 was constructed east to BWI, the existing signs were modified. Notice that the original destination of MD 166 South was U.S. Route 1 (just to the east), and that the original arrow wasn't good enough. Since the ramps weren't realigned, I'm guessing that the placement of the BWI logo necessitated the new arrow. With all the empty green space on the right of the sign, though, I don't see why this had to be.


MD 175 WB needs some help at the merge from the I-95 SB ramp.

All courtesy Lou Corsaro.


Just after the wide shield atop the page, this blows any remaining sensibility to smithereens. Clearview is not in and of itself an excuse to get stupid.


SB through ICC construction in November 2009.


In April 2010, as part of the Baltimore Road Meet, I drove back through construction, and now the future EB-NB flyover ramp girders are in (as well as the remaining girders for the EB through lanes). In the first two photos, the SB-WB and EB-SB ramp pair has been graded as well. The ICC is being designed with an eye toward eventual extension to US 1, but would be considered complete once it reaches I-95. There will likely be stubs to the east, though this bridge will be in full use because there will be a separate loop ramp in addition to this flyover to accommodate local movements from the west to the north. If you noticed the wire along the flyover ramp, it's for workers to clip onto in case they slip.


Enjoy an original button copy shield in this run. Last two photos courtesy Lou Corsaro, who informs me that the US 1 is tacked on. Gee, I couldn't tell. The I-495 signage is very similar to I-495 at I-270 - follow link at bottom. By the way, I-495 is Exit 27. Now you can sleep better.

Back north on I-95 SB
Over to the NB side south of Baltimore and in Baltimore (and north)
Continue south to I-95/495
Back to I-95 main page

Exit 62 to I-895
Exit 49 to I-695
Exit 49 to I-70
Exit 47A to I-195
Onto MD 200, the ICC
Exit 29 to MD 212
(Exit 27) To US 1 (or Exit 47A)
The April 2010 Baltimore Road Meet
Into Baltimore
Back to Maryland Roads
Back to Roads