Maryland Route 2
Encyclopedia
Maryland Route 2 is the longest state highway
in the U.S. state
of Maryland
. The 79.24 miles (127.52 km) route runs from Solomons Island
in Calvert County
north to an intersection with U.S. Route 1
and U.S. Route 40 Truck (North Avenue) in Baltimore
. The route runs concurrent
with Maryland Route 4
through much of Calvert County along a four-lane divided highway
known as Solomons Island Road, passing through rural areas as well as the communities of Lusby
, Port Republic
, Prince Frederick
, and Huntingtown
. In Sunderland
, MD 2 splits from MD 4 and continues north as two-lane undivided Solomons Island Road into Anne Arundel County
, still passing through rural areas. Upon reaching Annapolis
, the route runs concurrent with U.S. Route 50
and U.S. Route 301
around the city. Between Annapolis and Baltimore, MD 2 runs along the Governor Ritchie Highway (also known as the Ritchie Highway), a multilane divided highway that heads through suburban areas of businesses and residences, passing through Arnold
, Severna Park
, Pasadena
, Glen Burnie
, and Brooklyn Park
. In Baltimore, the route heads north on city streets and passes through the downtown
area of the city.
The designation MD 2 was in use by 1927 for the road running between Solomons Island and Baltimore. The Ritchie Highway between Annapolis and Baltimore opened in 1939 with the original alignment of MD 2 along Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard becoming Maryland Route 648
. By 1960, the route was designated to bypass Annapolis along with US 50 and US 301, resulting in the former route through the city becoming part of Maryland Route 450
. MD 4 was routed to follow much of MD 2 in Calvert County by 1975, and in subsequent years this portion of the route was upgraded to become a divided highway. The Ritchie Highway portion of the route was originally the main route between Annapolis and Baltimore until Interstate 97
was completed in the 1990s.
in Calvert
and Anne Arundel
counties and in the city of Baltimore
in Maryland. In Calvert County, the route runs through mostly rural areas, passing through the communities of Solomons Island
, Lusby
, Port Republic
, Prince Frederick
, Huntingtown
, Sunderland
, and Owings
. Between Solomons Island and Sunderland, the route runs concurrent
with Maryland Route 4
. In Anne Arundel County, MD 2 runs through rural areas of the southern part of the county before reaching the Annapolis
area, where it shares a concurrency with the John Hanson Highway. From Annapolis, the route heads through suburban areas in the northern part of Anne Arundel County as the Ritchie Highway, passing through Arnold
, Severna Park
, Pasadena
, Glen Burnie
, and Brooklyn Park
. It continues north into Baltimore, where it heads toward its terminus north of the downtown area. At 79.24 mi (127.52 km), it is the longest state highway
in Maryland.
Maryland Route 2 heads north on Solomons Island Road, a two-lane undivided road with a speed limit of 35 mph (56.3 km/h) in Solomons Island
, Calvert County
from an intersection with Lore Road and an off-ramp from northbound Maryland Route 4
known as Maryland Route 2G. A short distance later, a portion of Maryland Route 765
called MD 765R continues north along Solomons Island Road, while MD 2 merges onto MD 4 to form a concurrency
with that route on a four-lane 45 mph (72.4 km/h) divided highway
a short distance north of where MD 4 crosses the Patuxent River
over the Governor Thomas Johnson Bridge. Upon merging with MD 4, the road continues north as Solomons Island Road, passing commercial areas to the east and a U.S. Navy Recreation Center to the west. It continues north-northeast into wooded areas as a 55 mph (88.5 km/h) road, with MD 765 running a short distance to the east of the road. This portion of the road, also known as the Louis L. Goldstein Highway in honor of Louis L. Goldstein
, a former Comptroller of Maryland
, intersects with Maryland Route 760
(Rousby Hall Road). MD 2/MD 4 heads north to an intersection with Maryland Route 497
(Cove Point Road) and turns north-northwest, passing near Calvert Cliffs State Park
. MD 765 eventually crosses the route in Lusby
and runs to the west of it as Pardoe Road, where it is officially called MD 765Q. MD 765 ends at the road a short distance to the north and emerges to the east of the road again as Nursery Road a short distance later. Solomons Island Road intersects MD 2N (Calvert Cliffs Parkway), which provides access to the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant
and another segment of MD 765 which runs to the west of the route on Saw Mill Road. MD 2/MD 4 turns to the west, intersecting MD 765 in before turning north-northwest again with MD 765 running to the east of the route as St. Leonard Road through the community of St. Leonard
. MD 2/MD 4 continues through woodland with some residences and businesses, before turning west into a mix of farmland and woodland, intersecting Maryland Route 264
(Broomes Island Road) and MD 765 again in Port Republic
.
Past this intersection, the road continues west through a mix of farms, woods with some residences and businesses. MD 2/MD 4 turns north as it intersects Maryland Route 506
(Sixes Road) and a different segment of MD 765 known as MD 765A branches off to the east of MD 2/MD 4 onto Main Street as the road approaches Prince Frederick
. The road passes woodland before heading northwest into commercial areas of Prince Frederick as a 45 mph (72.4 km/h) road. Here, MD 2/MD 4 crosses Maryland Route 231
. Beyond this intersection, the road passes more businesses, turning north and intersecting MD 765 (Main Street) again. A short distance past MD 765, Solomons Island Road intersects Maryland Route 402
(Dares Beach Road). MD 2/MD 4 passes more businesses as well as the Calvert Memorial Hospital
before heading into areas of farms, woods, and residences, with the speed limit increasing to 55 mph (88.5 km/h). It intersects Maryland Route 263
(Plum Point Road), then continues to Huntingtown
, where Maryland Route 524 loops west of the route into Huntingtown as Old Town Road. Past Huntingtown, the road continues through more rural areas of woodland and farmland with residential areas before MD 2 splits from MD 4 in Sunderland
.
At the split, MD 4 heads northwest on four-lane divided Southern Maryland Boulevard while MD 2 heads northeast on two-lane undivided Solomons Island Road, which has a 50 mph (80.5 km/h) speed limit. Shortly after splitting from MD 4, the route intersects the eastern terminus of Maryland Route 262
(Lower Marlboro Road) before heading into woodland with areas of residences and businesses. Another section of MD 765 called Wayside Drive loops to the west of MD 2 for a distance before MD 765 loops again to the east on Mt. Harmony Lane. MD 765 returns to MD 2 past this intersection and Maryland Route 778
then loops to the east of the route on Old Solomons Island Road. The route continues north to an intersection with Maryland Route 260
(Chesapeake Beach Road) near Owings
.
In Calvert County, the daily traffic counts on MD 2 range from a high of 47,681 vehicles at the intersection with MD 402 along the MD 4 concurrency in Prince Frederick to a low of 6,051 vehicles at the southern terminus in Solomons Island in 2007.
where it continues through a mix of farmland and woodland. It intersects Friendship Road/Sansbury Road at a roundabout
, which connects to Maryland Route 261
, before intersecting MD 778 again. The route junctions with Maryland Route 423
(Fairhaven Road). The road proceeds through rural areas with some residences, coming to an intersection with Maryland Route 256
(Deale Road). A short distance later, MD 2 crosses Maryland Route 258
(Bay Front Road) and continues north, with former alignments of the road designated as suffixed segments of MD 778. The speed limit decreases to 40 mph (64.4 km/h) as the road reaches Lothian
, where it intersects Maryland Route 408
(Mount Zion Road) and Maryland Route 422
(Bayard Road). At the roundabout, MD 2 makes a turn to the northeast, passing through agricultural areas with some homes as a 50 mph (80.5 km/h) road. It intersects Maryland Route 255
(Owensville Road) before passing through the community of Harwood
, and then through Birdsville. The road heads northeast, with residential development increasing as the road approaches its intersection with Maryland Route 214
(Central Avenue). Here, MD 2 widens into a 40 mph (64.4 km/h) four-lane divided highway and heads through commercial areas, intersecting Maryland Route 253
(Mayo Road) adjacent to Lee Airport
. Past this intersection, the road traverses residential areas before the speed limit increases to 50 mph (80.5 km/h) and it crosses over the South River
. The former alignments of MD 2 around the bridge are designated as Maryland Route 553. Upon crossing the river, MD 2 continues past residential neighborhoods and widens to six lanes. It comes to an interchange with Maryland Route 665
(Aris T. Allen Boulevard). Past the MD 665 interchange, the route heads into commercial areas on the outskirts of Annapolis
as a 40 mph (64.4 km/h) road, with Maryland Route 393 (Old Solomons Island Road) branching off from the route and paralleling it to the east. MD 2 crosses Maryland Route 450
(West Street) before the route merges onto U.S. Route 50
, U.S. Route 301
, and unsigned Interstate 595
(John Hanson Highway).
At the point MD 2 merges onto the John Hanson Highway, the road is eight lanes wide and has a speed limit of 55 mph (88.5 km/h). The road heads through wooded areas, narrowing to six lanes, before coming to an interchange with Maryland Route 70
(Rowe Boulevard). At this interchange, the unsigned I-595 designation ends, while US 50, US 301, and MD 2 continue northeast on the John Hanson Highway. The route passes under Maryland Route 436
(Ridgely Avenue) and runs near residential neighborhoods before crossing over the Severn River
on the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge
. After crossing the Severn River, the road comes to an interchange with the Governor Ritchie Highway. Here, MD 2 leaves US 50/US 301 by heading north on the Governor Ritchie Highway while MD 450 continues south into Annapolis on that road.
MD 2 heads north on the Ritchie Highway, a four-lane divided highway with a 50 mph (80.5 km/h) speed limit, passing through wooded residential areas of Arnold
. The route intersects the north end of a segment of Maryland Route 648
(Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard), which branches off and runs west of the route a short distance later. It passes the campus of Anne Arundel Community College
and intersects College Drive. The road continues through wooded neighborhoods with some businesses, eventually reaching Severna Park
. Here, the route heads through commercial areas, intersecting McKinsey Road near the Severna Park Marketplace
(formerly the Severna Park Mall). A short distance later, MD 2 intersects MD 648 (Baltimore-Annapolis Road), forming a brief concurrency with that route before MD 648 heads to the east of it again. The road continues past residences before reaching Pasadena
. Shortly after, MD 2 intersects the southern end of Maryland Route 10
(Arundel Expressway). Past MD 10, the route heads into commercial areas as a six-lane 45 mph (72.4 km/h) road before coming to an interchange with Maryland Route 100
.
Immediately past this interchange, the route intersects Maryland Route 177
(Mountain Road) and continues north past more businesses and the Marley Station Mall. MD 2 narrows to four lanes again and continues through residential neighborhoods in Glen Burnie
. Before the intersection with Fitzallen Road/Aquahart Road, the route passes Harundale Plaza, which was originally the Harundale Mall, the first enclosed mall on the East Coast, built in 1958. The road passes more residences and then businesses before again crossing over MD 648. Past MD 648, the route continues through commercial areas consisting of numerous car dealerships and runs a short distance to the east of Maryland Route 3 Business (Crain Highway). It intersects Maryland Route 270
(Furnace Branch Road) before MD 3 Business merges into MD 2. The route continues north as a six-lane highway and intersects Maryland Route 710
(Ordnance Road). It passes more businesses before coming to an exit and southbound entrance with a spur of I-895 (I-895B) that provides access to and from Interstate 97
, westbound Interstate 695
, and Interstate 895
. A short distance later, MD 2 interchanges with I-695 (Baltimore Beltway) at a partial interchange. At this interchange, Maryland Route 711 (Arundel Corporation Road) provides the access from eastbound I-695 to MD 2. Past I-695, MD 2 continues north as a four-lane divided highway with a 35 mph (56.3 km/h) speed limit that runs through residential and commercial areas of Arundel Gardens, intersecting the western terminus of Maryland Route 171
(Church Street). Past MD 171, the route passes through more commercial areas in Brooklyn Park
before coming to an intersection with Maryland Route 170
(Belle Grove Road) at the boundary of Baltimore
city.
In Anne Arundel County, the daily traffic counts on MD 2 range from a high of 121,851 vehicles at the west end of the concurrency with the John Hanson Highway in Annapolis to a low of 14,192 vehicles at the intersection with MD 258 in the southern part of the county in 2007.
MD 2 enters Baltimore, where it becomes Potee Street and is maintained by the Baltimore Department of Transportation. The route heads through urban residential and commercial areas in the Brooklyn
neighborhood, intersecting Maryland Route 173
(Patapsco Avenue). A short distance later, it comes to an interchange with I-895 (Harbor Tunnel Thruway) a short distance later that has access from northbound MD 2 to northbound I-895 and from southbound I-895 to southbound MD 2. The route passes under a CSX railroad line and splits into a one-way pair
consisting of four lanes in each direction, with the northbound direction of MD 2 following Hanover Street and the southbound direction of MD 2 following Potee Street. The route crosses over the Patapsco River
and continues into the Cherry Hill neighborhood, running to the west of the Middle Branch of the Patapsco River with Hanover Street passing by Harbor Hospital
. Past the Waterview Avenue intersection, MD 2 becomes two-way Hanover Street, a 35 mph (56.3 km/h) five-lane street. It crosses over the Middle Branch on the Hanover Street Bridge and continues north through industrial areas. Maryland Route 2 Truck heads east from the route on McComas Street prior to the interchange with Interstate 95
. Past the I-95 interchange, MD 2 heads through the Federal Hill neighborhood through areas of rowhomes as a two-lane street with a 25 mph (40.2 km/h) speed limit.
At the intersection with Montgomery Street, MD 2 splits into another one-way pair with the northbound direction running east on Montgomery Street and then turning north on Light Street, intersecting MD 2 Truck (Key Highway) and passing by the Maryland Science Center
, and the southbound direction following Hughes Street to Hanover Street. Along this one-way pair, the route carries one lane in each direction with the exception of Light Street, where the northbound direction has four lanes. Both directions of MD 2 join again along eight-lane divided Light Street and the route heads toward the Inner Harbor
. Near Harborplace
, the route splits into another one-way pair with northbound MD 2 running along three-lane Calvert Street and southbound MD 2 running along four-lane St. Paul Street. The route crosses many streets in downtown Baltimore
, including Pratt Street
, Lombard Street
, Baltimore Street, Fayette Street, and Saratoga Street. The one-way pair passes by Mercy Medical Center
before coming to U.S. Route 40
. Calvert Street passes under US 40 (the Orleans Street Viaduct) while St. Paul Street intersects US 40 as it follows the one-way pair of Franklin Street westbound and Mulberry Street eastbound. Past US 40, the route heads away from the downtown area and passes more rowhomes. It comes to an interchange with Interstate 83
(Jones Falls Expressway) and crosses over the Northeast Corridor
rail line adjacent to Penn Station. Past the train station, MD 2 intersects the southern terminus of Maryland Route 25
, which follows a one-way pair along eastbound Lanvale Street (carrying the southbound direction) and westbound Lafayette Avenue (carrying the northbound direction), before it comes to its northern terminus at U.S. Route 1
and U.S. Route 40 Truck (North Avenue).
In Baltimore, the daily traffic counts on MD 2 range from a high of 58,375 vehicles along Light Street near the Inner Harbor to a low of 6,075 vehicles along Hanover Street in the Federal Hill neighborhood in 2005.
in 1995. Originally, MD 10 was intended to provide a limited-access route between Baltimore and Annapolis, but this route was not completed south of Pasadena after it was deemed that an alternative freeway along the Maryland Route 3
corridor (present-day I-97), which required less destruction of residences and businesses, should be built.
In 2010, a project improved the intersection of MD 2-4 and MD 231 in Prince Frederick. This project is a prelude to a larger project to expand MD 2-4 to six lanes between MD 765 south of Prince Frederick and Stoakley Road north of Prince Frederick.
, Maryland
, United States
. The route runs east from MD 2 (Hanover Street) on McComas Street, paralleling I-95. From McComas Street, at exit 55 of Interstate 95 just west of the Fort McHenry Tunnel, the route continues onto Key Highway and heads north and west to Light Street
(MD 2), mostly paralleling the Northwest Harbor and serving the piers on the harbor.
The road was laid out to a width of 160 feet (50 m) from Light Street to Locust Point
in the early 1910s, providing better access to the new city-owned piers in preparation for increased trade via the Panama Canal
and existing steamship lines to Europe
. It was named Key Highway because it was originally planned to extend to Fort McHenry
, near where Francis Scott Key
wrote "The Star-Spangled Banner
." However, the extension of the road to the fort was never built. A rail line ran the length of Key Highway, connecting to the tracks in Pratt Street
via Light Street. A two-lane extension of the highway and rail line was built in 1930, branching off the old route east of Ludlow Street and running south under Fort Avenue to McComas Street. The short portion of the old road east of the extension is now East Key Highway; the rail tracks have been removed.
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. The 79.24 miles (127.52 km) route runs from Solomons Island
Solomons, Maryland
Solomons is a community and census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,536 at the 2000 census...
in Calvert County
Calvert County, Maryland
Calvert County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It occupies the Calvert Peninsula which is bordered on the east by the Chesapeake Bay and on the west by the Patuxent River. Calvert County is part of the Southern Maryland region. Calvert County's residents are among the highest...
north to an intersection with U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1 in Maryland
U.S. Route 1 is the easternmost and longest of the major north–south routes of the United States Numbered Highway System, running from Key West, Florida to Fort Kent, Maine. In the U.S...
and U.S. Route 40 Truck (North Avenue) in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
. The route runs concurrent
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
with Maryland Route 4
Maryland Route 4
Maryland Route 4 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The state highway runs from MD 5 in Leonardtown north to Southern Avenue at the Washington, D.C. border, past which the highway continues as Pennsylvania Avenue...
through much of Calvert County along a four-lane divided highway
Divided Highway
Divided Highway is a compilation album by American rock band The Doobie Brothers, released in 2003. . All tracks are taken from the albums Cycles and Brotherhood .-Track listing:...
known as Solomons Island Road, passing through rural areas as well as the communities of Lusby
Lusby, Maryland
Lusby is a place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was officially 1,666 at the 2000 census, although residents of the Chesapeake Ranch Estates-Drum Point community also use the Lusby zip code designation, making Lusby in fact a much larger community...
, Port Republic
Port Republic, Maryland
Port Republic is a small, rural community located inCalvert County, Maryland. It is approximately5 miles south of Prince Frederick, Maryland, the countyseat of Calvert County...
, Prince Frederick
Prince Frederick, Maryland
Prince Frederick is a census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States, not to be confused with the incorporated, and much larger, city of Frederick some to the northwest in Frederick County...
, and Huntingtown
Huntingtown, Maryland
Huntingtown is a census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,436 at the 2000 census. The community is growing, with many large estate homes in small developments off of Maryland Route 2/4. It has a public high school called Huntingtown High. The...
. In Sunderland
Sunderland, Maryland
Sunderland is a small, rural community located in Calvert County, Maryland, approximately 5 miles south of Dunkirk, Maryland and 10 miles north of Prince Frederick, Maryland. Although Sunderland is not incorporated and does not have a central business district, it does have a zip code, 20689...
, MD 2 splits from MD 4 and continues north as two-lane undivided Solomons Island Road into Anne Arundel County
Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Anne Arundel County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is named for Anne Arundell , a member of the ancient family of Arundells in Cornwall, England and the wife of Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore. Its county seat is Annapolis, which is also the capital of the state...
, still passing through rural areas. Upon reaching Annapolis
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
, the route runs concurrent with U.S. Route 50
U.S. Route 50 in Maryland
U.S. Route 50 is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching just over from Ocean City, Maryland on the Atlantic Ocean to West Sacramento, California. In the U.S. state of Maryland, US 50 exists in two sections. The longer of these serves as a major route connecting...
and U.S. Route 301
U.S. Route 301 in Maryland
U.S. Route 301 in Maryland is a major highway that runs from Delaware to the Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge into Virginia. It passes through three of Maryland's four main regions: the Eastern Shore, the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area, and Southern Maryland...
around the city. Between Annapolis and Baltimore, MD 2 runs along the Governor Ritchie Highway (also known as the Ritchie Highway), a multilane divided highway that heads through suburban areas of businesses and residences, passing through Arnold
Arnold, Maryland
Arnold is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 23,422 at the 2000 census. Neighborhoods straddle College Parkway and Ritchie Highway. Arnold is located on the scenic Broadneck peninsula...
, Severna Park
Severna Park, Maryland
Severna Park is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 28,507 at the 2000 census.-History:Robinson House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.-Geography:...
, Pasadena
Pasadena, Maryland
Pasadena is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 12,093 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Pasadena is located at ....
, Glen Burnie
Glen Burnie, Maryland
Glen Burnie is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States, and is a suburb of Baltimore. The population was 67,639 at the 2010 census...
, and Brooklyn Park
Brooklyn Park, Maryland
Brooklyn Park is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 10,938 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Brooklyn Park, MD is located at ....
. In Baltimore, the route heads north on city streets and passes through the downtown
Downtown Baltimore
Downtown Baltimore is the section of Baltimore traditionally bounded by Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard to the west, Mt. Royal Avenue to the north, President Street to the east and the Inner Harbor area to the south. It consists of four neighborhoods: Westside, City Centre, Inner Harbor, and...
area of the city.
The designation MD 2 was in use by 1927 for the road running between Solomons Island and Baltimore. The Ritchie Highway between Annapolis and Baltimore opened in 1939 with the original alignment of MD 2 along Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard becoming Maryland Route 648
Maryland Route 648
Maryland Route 648 is a collection of state highways in the U.S. state of Maryland. These highways are sections of Baltimore–Annapolis Boulevard, the old alignment of MD 2 between Annapolis and Glen Burnie. These segments were bypassed when MD 2 was moved to Governor Ritchie Highway, a...
. By 1960, the route was designated to bypass Annapolis along with US 50 and US 301, resulting in the former route through the city becoming part of Maryland Route 450
Maryland Route 450
Maryland Route 450 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The state highway runs from U.S. Route 1 Alternate in Bladensburg east to US 50, US 301, and MD 2 near Annapolis. MD 450 is the original alignment of US 50 in Prince George's and Anne Arundel Counties...
. MD 4 was routed to follow much of MD 2 in Calvert County by 1975, and in subsequent years this portion of the route was upgraded to become a divided highway. The Ritchie Highway portion of the route was originally the main route between Annapolis and Baltimore until Interstate 97
Interstate 97
Interstate 97 is an intrastate Interstate Highway located entirely within Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. It runs from Annapolis at the overlapped section of US 50, US 301, and the unsigned I-595 to Baltimore at the city's beltway...
was completed in the 1990s.
Route description
MD 2 serves as a north–south route located a short distance to the west of the Chesapeake BayChesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
in Calvert
Calvert County, Maryland
Calvert County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It occupies the Calvert Peninsula which is bordered on the east by the Chesapeake Bay and on the west by the Patuxent River. Calvert County is part of the Southern Maryland region. Calvert County's residents are among the highest...
and Anne Arundel
Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Anne Arundel County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is named for Anne Arundell , a member of the ancient family of Arundells in Cornwall, England and the wife of Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore. Its county seat is Annapolis, which is also the capital of the state...
counties and in the city of Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
in Maryland. In Calvert County, the route runs through mostly rural areas, passing through the communities of Solomons Island
Solomons, Maryland
Solomons is a community and census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,536 at the 2000 census...
, Lusby
Lusby, Maryland
Lusby is a place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was officially 1,666 at the 2000 census, although residents of the Chesapeake Ranch Estates-Drum Point community also use the Lusby zip code designation, making Lusby in fact a much larger community...
, Port Republic
Port Republic, Maryland
Port Republic is a small, rural community located inCalvert County, Maryland. It is approximately5 miles south of Prince Frederick, Maryland, the countyseat of Calvert County...
, Prince Frederick
Prince Frederick, Maryland
Prince Frederick is a census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States, not to be confused with the incorporated, and much larger, city of Frederick some to the northwest in Frederick County...
, Huntingtown
Huntingtown, Maryland
Huntingtown is a census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,436 at the 2000 census. The community is growing, with many large estate homes in small developments off of Maryland Route 2/4. It has a public high school called Huntingtown High. The...
, Sunderland
Sunderland, Maryland
Sunderland is a small, rural community located in Calvert County, Maryland, approximately 5 miles south of Dunkirk, Maryland and 10 miles north of Prince Frederick, Maryland. Although Sunderland is not incorporated and does not have a central business district, it does have a zip code, 20689...
, and Owings
Owings, Maryland
Owings is a census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,325 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Owings is located at ....
. Between Solomons Island and Sunderland, the route runs concurrent
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
with Maryland Route 4
Maryland Route 4
Maryland Route 4 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The state highway runs from MD 5 in Leonardtown north to Southern Avenue at the Washington, D.C. border, past which the highway continues as Pennsylvania Avenue...
. In Anne Arundel County, MD 2 runs through rural areas of the southern part of the county before reaching the Annapolis
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
area, where it shares a concurrency with the John Hanson Highway. From Annapolis, the route heads through suburban areas in the northern part of Anne Arundel County as the Ritchie Highway, passing through Arnold
Arnold, Maryland
Arnold is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 23,422 at the 2000 census. Neighborhoods straddle College Parkway and Ritchie Highway. Arnold is located on the scenic Broadneck peninsula...
, Severna Park
Severna Park, Maryland
Severna Park is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 28,507 at the 2000 census.-History:Robinson House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.-Geography:...
, Pasadena
Pasadena, Maryland
Pasadena is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 12,093 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Pasadena is located at ....
, Glen Burnie
Glen Burnie, Maryland
Glen Burnie is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States, and is a suburb of Baltimore. The population was 67,639 at the 2010 census...
, and Brooklyn Park
Brooklyn Park, Maryland
Brooklyn Park is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 10,938 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Brooklyn Park, MD is located at ....
. It continues north into Baltimore, where it heads toward its terminus north of the downtown area. At 79.24 mi (127.52 km), it is the longest state highway
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in Maryland.
Calvert County
Solomons, Maryland
Solomons is a community and census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,536 at the 2000 census...
, Calvert County
Calvert County, Maryland
Calvert County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It occupies the Calvert Peninsula which is bordered on the east by the Chesapeake Bay and on the west by the Patuxent River. Calvert County is part of the Southern Maryland region. Calvert County's residents are among the highest...
from an intersection with Lore Road and an off-ramp from northbound Maryland Route 4
Maryland Route 4
Maryland Route 4 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The state highway runs from MD 5 in Leonardtown north to Southern Avenue at the Washington, D.C. border, past which the highway continues as Pennsylvania Avenue...
known as Maryland Route 2G. A short distance later, a portion of Maryland Route 765
Maryland Route 765
Maryland Route 765 is a collection of state highways in the U.S. state of Maryland. These 26 highways are service roads constructed or old alignments maintained to provide access to private property or county highways whose access was compromised by the realignment of MD 2 and MD 4 in Calvert...
called MD 765R continues north along Solomons Island Road, while MD 2 merges onto MD 4 to form a concurrency
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
with that route on a four-lane 45 mph (72.4 km/h) divided highway
Divided Highway
Divided Highway is a compilation album by American rock band The Doobie Brothers, released in 2003. . All tracks are taken from the albums Cycles and Brotherhood .-Track listing:...
a short distance north of where MD 4 crosses the Patuxent River
Patuxent River
The Patuxent River is a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay in the state of Maryland. There are three main river drainages for central Maryland: the Potomac River to the west passing through Washington D.C., the Patapsco River to the northeast passing through Baltimore, and the Patuxent River between...
over the Governor Thomas Johnson Bridge. Upon merging with MD 4, the road continues north as Solomons Island Road, passing commercial areas to the east and a U.S. Navy Recreation Center to the west. It continues north-northeast into wooded areas as a 55 mph (88.5 km/h) road, with MD 765 running a short distance to the east of the road. This portion of the road, also known as the Louis L. Goldstein Highway in honor of Louis L. Goldstein
Louis L. Goldstein
Louis Lazarus Goldstein served as Comptroller, or chief financial officer, of Maryland from 1959 to 1998. He was born to a storekeeper in the small town of Prince Frederick, Maryland, and also died there. As a legislator in the Maryland General Assembly, he was known for his 11th-hour strong...
, a former Comptroller of Maryland
Comptroller of Maryland
The Comptroller of Maryland, United States, currently Peter Franchot, is the state's chief financial officer and is also elected by the people for a four year term. The comptroller is not term-limited. The office was established by the Maryland Constitution of 1851 due to concern about the...
, intersects with Maryland Route 760
Maryland Route 760
Maryland Route 760 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Rousby Hall Road, the state highway runs from Rousby Road in Drum Point north to MD 2 and MD 4 in Lusby. The portion of MD 760 in Lusby was built as MD 503 in the early 1930s; the Drum Point section was constructed as...
(Rousby Hall Road). MD 2/MD 4 heads north to an intersection with Maryland Route 497
Maryland Route 497
Maryland Route 497 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Cove Point Road, the state highway runs from MD 2 and MD 4 in Lusby east to the community of Cove Point. MD 497 was constructed in the early 1930s....
(Cove Point Road) and turns north-northwest, passing near Calvert Cliffs State Park
Calvert Cliffs State Park
Calvert Cliffs State Park is a state park in Calvert County, Maryland, USA, situated on the Chesapeake Bay. On the 1612 John Smith map, the site is called "Rickard's Cliffes"...
. MD 765 eventually crosses the route in Lusby
Lusby, Maryland
Lusby is a place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was officially 1,666 at the 2000 census, although residents of the Chesapeake Ranch Estates-Drum Point community also use the Lusby zip code designation, making Lusby in fact a much larger community...
and runs to the west of it as Pardoe Road, where it is officially called MD 765Q. MD 765 ends at the road a short distance to the north and emerges to the east of the road again as Nursery Road a short distance later. Solomons Island Road intersects MD 2N (Calvert Cliffs Parkway), which provides access to the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant
Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant
The Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant is a nuclear power plant located on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay near Lusby, Calvert County, Maryland.-Overview:...
and another segment of MD 765 which runs to the west of the route on Saw Mill Road. MD 2/MD 4 turns to the west, intersecting MD 765 in before turning north-northwest again with MD 765 running to the east of the route as St. Leonard Road through the community of St. Leonard
St. Leonard, Maryland
St. Leonard is a census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was officially 536 at the 2000 census, although residents of the Calvert Beach-Long Beach, Maryland community also use the St. Leonard zip code designation, making it in fact a much larger community...
. MD 2/MD 4 continues through woodland with some residences and businesses, before turning west into a mix of farmland and woodland, intersecting Maryland Route 264
Maryland Route 264
Maryland Route 264 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Broomes Island Road, the route runs from Oyster House Road in Broomes Island north to MD 2 and MD 4 in Port Republic. MD 264 connects the central Calvert County communities of Broomes Island, Island Creek, and Mutual...
(Broomes Island Road) and MD 765 again in Port Republic
Port Republic, Maryland
Port Republic is a small, rural community located inCalvert County, Maryland. It is approximately5 miles south of Prince Frederick, Maryland, the countyseat of Calvert County...
.
Maryland Route 506
Maryland Route 506 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Sixes Road, the state highway runs from MD 508 in Bowens east to MD 2 and MD 4 near Port Republic. MD 506 provides access to Battle Creek Cypress Swamp...
(Sixes Road) and a different segment of MD 765 known as MD 765A branches off to the east of MD 2/MD 4 onto Main Street as the road approaches Prince Frederick
Prince Frederick, Maryland
Prince Frederick is a census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States, not to be confused with the incorporated, and much larger, city of Frederick some to the northwest in Frederick County...
. The road passes woodland before heading northwest into commercial areas of Prince Frederick as a 45 mph (72.4 km/h) road. Here, MD 2/MD 4 crosses Maryland Route 231
Maryland Route 231
Maryland Route 231 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The state highway runs from Olivers Shop Road near Hughesville east to MD 765 in Prince Frederick. MD 231 crosses the Patuxent River on the Benedict Bridge, which connects Benedict in eastern Charles County...
. Beyond this intersection, the road passes more businesses, turning north and intersecting MD 765 (Main Street) again. A short distance past MD 765, Solomons Island Road intersects Maryland Route 402
Maryland Route 402
Maryland Route 402 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known for most of its length as Dares Beach Road, the state highway runs from MD 2 and MD 4 in Prince Frederick east to Chesapeake Avenue in Dares Beach. MD 402 was mostly constructed in 1932...
(Dares Beach Road). MD 2/MD 4 passes more businesses as well as the Calvert Memorial Hospital
Calvert Memorial Hospital
Calvert Memorial Hospital is a small rural community hospital located in Prince Frederick, Maryland. Calvert Memorial is currently the only hospital serving the Calvert County, Maryland area...
before heading into areas of farms, woods, and residences, with the speed limit increasing to 55 mph (88.5 km/h). It intersects Maryland Route 263
Maryland Route 263
Maryland Route 263 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Plum Point Road, the state highway runs from MD 2 and MD 4 near Prince Frederick east to a dead end at Plum Point...
(Plum Point Road), then continues to Huntingtown
Huntingtown, Maryland
Huntingtown is a census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,436 at the 2000 census. The community is growing, with many large estate homes in small developments off of Maryland Route 2/4. It has a public high school called Huntingtown High. The...
, where Maryland Route 524 loops west of the route into Huntingtown as Old Town Road. Past Huntingtown, the road continues through more rural areas of woodland and farmland with residential areas before MD 2 splits from MD 4 in Sunderland
Sunderland, Maryland
Sunderland is a small, rural community located in Calvert County, Maryland, approximately 5 miles south of Dunkirk, Maryland and 10 miles north of Prince Frederick, Maryland. Although Sunderland is not incorporated and does not have a central business district, it does have a zip code, 20689...
.
At the split, MD 4 heads northwest on four-lane divided Southern Maryland Boulevard while MD 2 heads northeast on two-lane undivided Solomons Island Road, which has a 50 mph (80.5 km/h) speed limit. Shortly after splitting from MD 4, the route intersects the eastern terminus of Maryland Route 262
Maryland Route 262
Maryland Route 262 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Lower Marlboro Road, the route runs from Chaneyville Road in Lower Marlboro east to MD 4 in Sunderland. MD 262 was constructed in the late 1920s.-Route description:...
(Lower Marlboro Road) before heading into woodland with areas of residences and businesses. Another section of MD 765 called Wayside Drive loops to the west of MD 2 for a distance before MD 765 loops again to the east on Mt. Harmony Lane. MD 765 returns to MD 2 past this intersection and Maryland Route 778
Maryland Route 778
Maryland Route 778 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Old Solomons Island Road, the state highway runs from MD 2 in Owings north to MD 261 in Friendship...
then loops to the east of the route on Old Solomons Island Road. The route continues north to an intersection with Maryland Route 260
Maryland Route 260
Maryland Route 260 is a state highway in Calvert County and Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Route 260 starts at the northern border of Calvert and Anne Arundel counties, branching off from Maryland Route 4 by way of an overpass interchange...
(Chesapeake Beach Road) near Owings
Owings, Maryland
Owings is a census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,325 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Owings is located at ....
.
In Calvert County, the daily traffic counts on MD 2 range from a high of 47,681 vehicles at the intersection with MD 402 along the MD 4 concurrency in Prince Frederick to a low of 6,051 vehicles at the southern terminus in Solomons Island in 2007.
Anne Arundel County
Just past the MD 260 intersection, MD 2 crosses into Anne Arundel CountyAnne Arundel County, Maryland
Anne Arundel County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is named for Anne Arundell , a member of the ancient family of Arundells in Cornwall, England and the wife of Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore. Its county seat is Annapolis, which is also the capital of the state...
where it continues through a mix of farmland and woodland. It intersects Friendship Road/Sansbury Road at a roundabout
Roundabout
A roundabout is the name for a road junction in which traffic moves in one direction around a central island. The word dates from the early 20th century. Roundabouts are common in many countries around the world...
, which connects to Maryland Route 261
Maryland Route 261
Maryland Route 261 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The route runs from Maryland Route 263 near Parran north to Maryland Route 778 in Friendship...
, before intersecting MD 778 again. The route junctions with Maryland Route 423
Maryland Route 423
Maryland Route 423 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Fairhaven Road, the route runs from Maryland Route 2 in Friendship east to Arundel Road in Fairhaven.-Route description:...
(Fairhaven Road). The road proceeds through rural areas with some residences, coming to an intersection with Maryland Route 256
Maryland Route 256
Maryland Route 256 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The route runs from Maryland Route 2 in Tracys Landing east to Maryland Route 468 in Churchton.-Route description:...
(Deale Road). A short distance later, MD 2 crosses Maryland Route 258
Maryland Route 258
Maryland Route 258 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Bay Front Road, the route runs from Wrighton Road in Bristol east to Maryland Route 256 in Deale.-Route description:...
(Bay Front Road) and continues north, with former alignments of the road designated as suffixed segments of MD 778. The speed limit decreases to 40 mph (64.4 km/h) as the road reaches Lothian
Lothian, Maryland
Lothian is an unincorporated community in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States.Lothian is a rural community in southern , Maryland, 12 miles southwest of Annapolis, Maryland, 24 miles east of Washington, DC, and 31 miles south of Baltimore, Maryland....
, where it intersects Maryland Route 408
Maryland Route 408
Maryland Route 408, known locally as Mt Zion - Marlboro Road, is an east–west highway in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. This route heads east from its interchange with Southern Maryland Boulevard to its terminus with Solomons Island Road and Bayard Rd at the Lothian Roundabout...
(Mount Zion Road) and Maryland Route 422
Maryland Route 422
Maryland Route 422 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Bayard Road, the route runs from Polling House Road near Bayard east to Maryland Route 2 in Lothian.-Route description:...
(Bayard Road). At the roundabout, MD 2 makes a turn to the northeast, passing through agricultural areas with some homes as a 50 mph (80.5 km/h) road. It intersects Maryland Route 255
Maryland Route 255
Maryland Route 255 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The route runs from Maryland Route 2 in Owensville east to Riverside Drive in Galesville.-Route description:...
(Owensville Road) before passing through the community of Harwood
Harwood, Maryland
Harwood is a small crossroads in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, south of Annapolis on Maryland Route 2 .Southern High School is nearby.-External links:**Historic places ******...
, and then through Birdsville. The road heads northeast, with residential development increasing as the road approaches its intersection with Maryland Route 214
Maryland Route 214
Maryland Route 214 is an east–west state highway that runs through Prince George's County and Anne Arundel County within the U.S. state of Maryland. Central Avenue runs along the center of Prince George's County and divides it into north and south...
(Central Avenue). Here, MD 2 widens into a 40 mph (64.4 km/h) four-lane divided highway and heads through commercial areas, intersecting Maryland Route 253
Maryland Route 253
Maryland Route 253 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Mayo Road, the route runs from Maryland Route 214 north to Maryland Route 2 within Edgewater.-Route description:...
(Mayo Road) adjacent to Lee Airport
Lee Airport
Lee Airport is a public use airport located in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The airport is five nautical miles southwest of the central business district of Annapolis. It is privately owned by the Lee Airport Authority in Edgewater, Maryland.- Facilities and aircraft :Lee Airport...
. Past this intersection, the road traverses residential areas before the speed limit increases to 50 mph (80.5 km/h) and it crosses over the South River
South River (Maryland)
The South River is a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay in Anne Arundel County, Maryland in the United States.The South River is located south of the Severn River, east of the Patuxent River, and north of the West River and Rhode River, and drains to the Chesapeake Bay.It has a watershed area of ,...
. The former alignments of MD 2 around the bridge are designated as Maryland Route 553. Upon crossing the river, MD 2 continues past residential neighborhoods and widens to six lanes. It comes to an interchange with Maryland Route 665
Maryland Route 665
Maryland Route 665 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Aris T. Allen Boulevard, the state highway runs from unsigned Interstate 595 , U.S...
(Aris T. Allen Boulevard). Past the MD 665 interchange, the route heads into commercial areas on the outskirts of Annapolis
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
as a 40 mph (64.4 km/h) road, with Maryland Route 393 (Old Solomons Island Road) branching off from the route and paralleling it to the east. MD 2 crosses Maryland Route 450
Maryland Route 450
Maryland Route 450 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The state highway runs from U.S. Route 1 Alternate in Bladensburg east to US 50, US 301, and MD 2 near Annapolis. MD 450 is the original alignment of US 50 in Prince George's and Anne Arundel Counties...
(West Street) before the route merges onto U.S. Route 50
U.S. Route 50 in Maryland
U.S. Route 50 is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching just over from Ocean City, Maryland on the Atlantic Ocean to West Sacramento, California. In the U.S. state of Maryland, US 50 exists in two sections. The longer of these serves as a major route connecting...
, U.S. Route 301
U.S. Route 301 in Maryland
U.S. Route 301 in Maryland is a major highway that runs from Delaware to the Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge into Virginia. It passes through three of Maryland's four main regions: the Eastern Shore, the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area, and Southern Maryland...
, and unsigned Interstate 595
Interstate 595 (Maryland)
Interstate 595 is an unsigned number for a section of the John Hanson Highway from Interstate 495 east of Washington, D.C. to Maryland Route 70 at Annapolis, Maryland....
(John Hanson Highway).
At the point MD 2 merges onto the John Hanson Highway, the road is eight lanes wide and has a speed limit of 55 mph (88.5 km/h). The road heads through wooded areas, narrowing to six lanes, before coming to an interchange with Maryland Route 70
Maryland Route 70
Maryland Route 70 is a state highway in Annapolis, Maryland.-Route description:Maryland Route 70 begins at an intersection with Maryland Route 450 in downtown Annapolis, following the dual Bladen Street at its southern beginning. After a few blocks, Rowe Boulevard merges into Bladen Street, and...
(Rowe Boulevard). At this interchange, the unsigned I-595 designation ends, while US 50, US 301, and MD 2 continue northeast on the John Hanson Highway. The route passes under Maryland Route 436
Maryland Route 436
Maryland Route 436 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Ridgely Avenue, the route runs from Maryland Route 435 in Annapolis to Bestgate Road in West Annapolis.-Route description:...
(Ridgely Avenue) and runs near residential neighborhoods before crossing over the Severn River
Severn River (Maryland)
The Severn River runs through Anne Arundel County in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is located south of the Magothy River, and north of the South River.-Geography:...
on the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge
Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge (Maryland)
The Severn River Bridge, officially known as the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge, is a bridge that crosses the Severn River northwest of the city limits of Annapolis, Maryland. The bridge serves as part of the John Hanson Highway, which is signed as U.S. Route 50 and U.S. Route 301...
. After crossing the Severn River, the road comes to an interchange with the Governor Ritchie Highway. Here, MD 2 leaves US 50/US 301 by heading north on the Governor Ritchie Highway while MD 450 continues south into Annapolis on that road.
MD 2 heads north on the Ritchie Highway, a four-lane divided highway with a 50 mph (80.5 km/h) speed limit, passing through wooded residential areas of Arnold
Arnold, Maryland
Arnold is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 23,422 at the 2000 census. Neighborhoods straddle College Parkway and Ritchie Highway. Arnold is located on the scenic Broadneck peninsula...
. The route intersects the north end of a segment of Maryland Route 648
Maryland Route 648
Maryland Route 648 is a collection of state highways in the U.S. state of Maryland. These highways are sections of Baltimore–Annapolis Boulevard, the old alignment of MD 2 between Annapolis and Glen Burnie. These segments were bypassed when MD 2 was moved to Governor Ritchie Highway, a...
(Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard), which branches off and runs west of the route a short distance later. It passes the campus of Anne Arundel Community College
Anne Arundel Community College
Anne Arundel Community College, founded in 1961, is located in Arnold, Maryland. The college was named "Community College of the Year" by National Business Alliance in 2000. AACC has also received many other in recent years...
and intersects College Drive. The road continues through wooded neighborhoods with some businesses, eventually reaching Severna Park
Severna Park, Maryland
Severna Park is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 28,507 at the 2000 census.-History:Robinson House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.-Geography:...
. Here, the route heads through commercial areas, intersecting McKinsey Road near the Severna Park Marketplace
Severna Park Mall
Severna Park Mall was an enclosed shopping mall located in Severna Park, Maryland, on Maryland Route 2 . Since the demolition of the entire structure in 2000, the site has been occupied by a strip mall known as Severna Park Marketplace featuring Giant Foods, Kohl's, Office Depot, Old Navy, and...
(formerly the Severna Park Mall). A short distance later, MD 2 intersects MD 648 (Baltimore-Annapolis Road), forming a brief concurrency with that route before MD 648 heads to the east of it again. The road continues past residences before reaching Pasadena
Pasadena, Maryland
Pasadena is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 12,093 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Pasadena is located at ....
. Shortly after, MD 2 intersects the southern end of Maryland Route 10
Maryland Route 10
Maryland Route 10, also known as the Arundel Expressway, is a state highway and freeway in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States.-Route description:...
(Arundel Expressway). Past MD 10, the route heads into commercial areas as a six-lane 45 mph (72.4 km/h) road before coming to an interchange with Maryland Route 100
Maryland Route 100
Maryland Route 100 is a major east–west highway connecting U.S. Route 29 in Ellicott City and MD 177 in Pasadena. MD 100 also connects to Interstate 95 , US 1, the Baltimore-Washington Parkway , and I-97...
.
Immediately past this interchange, the route intersects Maryland Route 177
Maryland Route 177
Maryland Route 177 is a state route in Anne Arundel County, beginning at MD 2 in Pasadena and ending at Gibson Island. It is named 'Mountain Road' for its entire length.-Route description:...
(Mountain Road) and continues north past more businesses and the Marley Station Mall. MD 2 narrows to four lanes again and continues through residential neighborhoods in Glen Burnie
Glen Burnie, Maryland
Glen Burnie is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States, and is a suburb of Baltimore. The population was 67,639 at the 2010 census...
. Before the intersection with Fitzallen Road/Aquahart Road, the route passes Harundale Plaza, which was originally the Harundale Mall, the first enclosed mall on the East Coast, built in 1958. The road passes more residences and then businesses before again crossing over MD 648. Past MD 648, the route continues through commercial areas consisting of numerous car dealerships and runs a short distance to the east of Maryland Route 3 Business (Crain Highway). It intersects Maryland Route 270
Maryland Route 270
Maryland Route 270 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Furnace Branch Road, the route runs from Maryland Route 648 north to Maryland Route 3 Business within Glen Burnie.-Route description:...
(Furnace Branch Road) before MD 3 Business merges into MD 2. The route continues north as a six-lane highway and intersects Maryland Route 710
Maryland Route 710
Maryland Route 710 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as East Ordnance Road, the state highway runs from MD 2 in Glen Burnie east to MD 173 in Brooklyn Park at the city limits of Baltimore. MD 710 provides access to the Defense Logistics Agency Curtis Bay Depot, a unit of...
(Ordnance Road). It passes more businesses before coming to an exit and southbound entrance with a spur of I-895 (I-895B) that provides access to and from Interstate 97
Interstate 97
Interstate 97 is an intrastate Interstate Highway located entirely within Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. It runs from Annapolis at the overlapped section of US 50, US 301, and the unsigned I-595 to Baltimore at the city's beltway...
, westbound Interstate 695
Interstate 695 (Maryland)
Interstate 695 is a -long full beltway Interstate Highway extending around Baltimore, Maryland, USA. I-695 is officially designated the McKeldin Beltway, but is colloquially referred to as either the Baltimore Beltway or 695...
, and Interstate 895
Interstate 895 (Maryland)
Interstate 895 is an Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as the Harbor Tunnel Thruway, the highway runs between one junction with I-95 in Elkridge and another interchange with I-95 on the east side of Baltimore. I-895 is a toll road that crosses the Patapsco River estuary...
. A short distance later, MD 2 interchanges with I-695 (Baltimore Beltway) at a partial interchange. At this interchange, Maryland Route 711 (Arundel Corporation Road) provides the access from eastbound I-695 to MD 2. Past I-695, MD 2 continues north as a four-lane divided highway with a 35 mph (56.3 km/h) speed limit that runs through residential and commercial areas of Arundel Gardens, intersecting the western terminus of Maryland Route 171
Maryland Route 171
Maryland Route 171 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Church Street, the state highway runs from MD 2 in Brooklyn Park east to MD 173 in the Curtis Bay neighborhood of Baltimore...
(Church Street). Past MD 171, the route passes through more commercial areas in Brooklyn Park
Brooklyn Park, Maryland
Brooklyn Park is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 10,938 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Brooklyn Park, MD is located at ....
before coming to an intersection with Maryland Route 170
Maryland Route 170
Maryland Route 170 is a roughly 13-mile-long road in Anne Arundel County.-Route description:MD 170 begins at the intersection of MD 175 Annapolis Road and Piney Orchard Parkway, in Odenton. It runs north towards Severn, interchanging with MD 32 northwest of the town...
(Belle Grove Road) at the boundary of Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
city.
In Anne Arundel County, the daily traffic counts on MD 2 range from a high of 121,851 vehicles at the west end of the concurrency with the John Hanson Highway in Annapolis to a low of 14,192 vehicles at the intersection with MD 258 in the southern part of the county in 2007.
Baltimore City
Brooklyn, Baltimore
Brooklyn is one of the southernmost neighborhoods in Baltimore, Maryland. It is located near Anne Arundel County along Maryland Route 2. Its main roads are Potee Street, Hanover Street, and Patapsco Avenue. Often mistaken as Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn shares the 21225 ZIP Code with Brooklyn Park and...
neighborhood, intersecting Maryland Route 173
Maryland Route 173
Maryland Route 173 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known for most of its length as Fort Smallwood Road, the state highway runs from Fort Smallwood Park near Fairview north to MD 2 in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Baltimore...
(Patapsco Avenue). A short distance later, it comes to an interchange with I-895 (Harbor Tunnel Thruway) a short distance later that has access from northbound MD 2 to northbound I-895 and from southbound I-895 to southbound MD 2. The route passes under a CSX railroad line and splits into a one-way pair
One-way pair
A one-way pair, one-way couple, or just couplet is a pair of parallel, usually one-way streets that carry opposite directions of a signed route or major traffic flow, or sometimes opposite directions of a bus or streetcar route....
consisting of four lanes in each direction, with the northbound direction of MD 2 following Hanover Street and the southbound direction of MD 2 following Potee Street. The route crosses over the Patapsco River
Patapsco River
The Patapsco River is a river in central Maryland which flows into Chesapeake Bay. The river's tidal portion forms the harbor for the city of Baltimore...
and continues into the Cherry Hill neighborhood, running to the west of the Middle Branch of the Patapsco River with Hanover Street passing by Harbor Hospital
Harbor Hospital
Harbor Hospital is a not-for-profit, 193-bed acute care teaching hospital facility located at 3001 South Hanover Street in downtown Baltimore, Maryland, on the Patapsco River. In FY 2007, it served 13,093 inpatients. Harbor Hospital's areas of specialty include Orthopaedics, Oncology, Women's...
. Past the Waterview Avenue intersection, MD 2 becomes two-way Hanover Street, a 35 mph (56.3 km/h) five-lane street. It crosses over the Middle Branch on the Hanover Street Bridge and continues north through industrial areas. Maryland Route 2 Truck heads east from the route on McComas Street prior to the interchange with Interstate 95
Interstate 95 in Maryland
Interstate 95 in Maryland is a major highway that runs diagonally from northeast to southwest, from Maryland's border with Delaware, to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, briefly entering the District of Columbia before reaching Virginia...
. Past the I-95 interchange, MD 2 heads through the Federal Hill neighborhood through areas of rowhomes as a two-lane street with a 25 mph (40.2 km/h) speed limit.
At the intersection with Montgomery Street, MD 2 splits into another one-way pair with the northbound direction running east on Montgomery Street and then turning north on Light Street, intersecting MD 2 Truck (Key Highway) and passing by the Maryland Science Center
Maryland Science Center
The Maryland Science Center, located in Baltimore's Inner Harbor, opened to the public in 1976. It includes three levels of exhibits, a planetarium, and an observatory. It was one of the original structures that drove the revitalization of the Baltimore Inner Harbor from its industrial roots to a...
, and the southbound direction following Hughes Street to Hanover Street. Along this one-way pair, the route carries one lane in each direction with the exception of Light Street, where the northbound direction has four lanes. Both directions of MD 2 join again along eight-lane divided Light Street and the route heads toward the Inner Harbor
Inner Harbor
The Inner Harbor is a historic seaport, tourist attraction, and iconic landmark of the City of Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Described by the Urban Land Institute in 2009 as “the model for post-industrial waterfront redevelopment around the World.” The Inner Harbor is actually the end of the...
. Near Harborplace
Harborplace
Harborplace is a festival marketplace in Baltimore, Maryland, that opened in 1980 as a centerpiece of the revival of downtown Baltimore. As its name suggests, it is located on the Inner Harbor....
, the route splits into another one-way pair with northbound MD 2 running along three-lane Calvert Street and southbound MD 2 running along four-lane St. Paul Street. The route crosses many streets in downtown Baltimore
Downtown Baltimore
Downtown Baltimore is the section of Baltimore traditionally bounded by Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard to the west, Mt. Royal Avenue to the north, President Street to the east and the Inner Harbor area to the south. It consists of four neighborhoods: Westside, City Centre, Inner Harbor, and...
, including Pratt Street
Pratt Street
Pratt Street is a major street in Baltimore. It forms a one-way pair of streets with Lombard Street that run west-east through downtown Baltimore. For most of their route, Pratt Street is one-way in an eastbound direction, and Lombard Street is one way westbound. Both streets begin in west...
, Lombard Street
Lombard Street (Baltimore)
Lombard Street is a major street in Baltimore. It forms a one-way pair of streets with Pratt Street that run west-east through downtown Baltimore. For most of their route, Pratt Street is one-way in an eastbound direction, and Lombard Street is one way westbound. Both streets begin in west...
, Baltimore Street, Fayette Street, and Saratoga Street. The one-way pair passes by Mercy Medical Center
Mercy Medical Center (Baltimore, Maryland)
Mercy Medical Center is a hospital located in Baltimore, Maryland. The Tower Building of the hospital opened in 1963 and is located at 301 St. Paul Place....
before coming to U.S. Route 40
U.S. Route 40 in Maryland
U.S. Route 40 in the U.S. state of Maryland runs from western Maryland to Cecil County in the state's northeastern corner. With a total length of over , it is the longest numbered highway in Maryland. Almost half of the road overlaps with Interstate 68 or Interstate 70, while the old alignment...
. Calvert Street passes under US 40 (the Orleans Street Viaduct) while St. Paul Street intersects US 40 as it follows the one-way pair of Franklin Street westbound and Mulberry Street eastbound. Past US 40, the route heads away from the downtown area and passes more rowhomes. It comes to an interchange with Interstate 83
Interstate 83
Interstate 83 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. Its southern terminus is in Baltimore, Maryland at the Fayette Street exit; its northern terminus is in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania at Interstate 81....
(Jones Falls Expressway) and crosses over the Northeast Corridor
Northeast Corridor
The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...
rail line adjacent to Penn Station. Past the train station, MD 2 intersects the southern terminus of Maryland Route 25
Maryland Route 25
Maryland Route 25 , locally known for nearly its entire length as Falls Road, is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. It begins north of downtown Baltimore, just north of Penn Station, and continues north through Baltimore County almost to the Pennsylvania state line...
, which follows a one-way pair along eastbound Lanvale Street (carrying the southbound direction) and westbound Lafayette Avenue (carrying the northbound direction), before it comes to its northern terminus at U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1 in Maryland
U.S. Route 1 is the easternmost and longest of the major north–south routes of the United States Numbered Highway System, running from Key West, Florida to Fort Kent, Maine. In the U.S...
and U.S. Route 40 Truck (North Avenue).
In Baltimore, the daily traffic counts on MD 2 range from a high of 58,375 vehicles along Light Street near the Inner Harbor to a low of 6,075 vehicles along Hanover Street in the Federal Hill neighborhood in 2005.
History
The designation MD 2 was first used by 1927 for the road running between Solomons Island and Baltimore. The route headed north through Calvert County and into Anne Arundel County, where it headed through Annapolis on what is now MD 450. From there, the route followed present-day MD 648 north to Glen Burnie before continuing north on its present alignment toward downtown Baltimore. In 1939, the four-lane Ritchie Highway, named for former Maryland Governor Albert C. Ritchie, was built between Annapolis and Baltimore and MD 2 was rerouted to this road. The former alignment of MD 2 along Baltimore-Annapolis Boulevard between Annapolis and Glen Burnie was designated MD 648 by 1940. Throughout the mid 20th-century, a commercial district developed along MD 2 in Glen Burnie, which included several car dealerships and the Harundale Mall. MD 2 was routed to bypass Annapolis along with US 50 and US 301 on a limited-access highway by 1960, with the former alignment through Annapolis being designated a part of MD 450. By 1975, MD 4 was routed to be concurrent with MD 2 from north of Solomons Island, where it would cross the Patuxent River on the Governor Thomas Johnson Bridge that was completed in January 1978, to Sunderland. Also by this time, the route was widened into a divided highway between Prince Frederick and Sunderland and from the South River to US 50/US 301. The divided highway portions of MD 2 were further extended by 1983, with widening occurring between Port Republic and Prince Frederick and between MD 214 and the South River. By the 1990s, MD 2/MD 4 was dualized from the southern spilt north of Solomons Island up to Port Republic. The Ritchie Highway was originally the main route between Baltimore and Annapolis prior to the completion of Interstate 97Interstate 97
Interstate 97 is an intrastate Interstate Highway located entirely within Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. It runs from Annapolis at the overlapped section of US 50, US 301, and the unsigned I-595 to Baltimore at the city's beltway...
in 1995. Originally, MD 10 was intended to provide a limited-access route between Baltimore and Annapolis, but this route was not completed south of Pasadena after it was deemed that an alternative freeway along the Maryland Route 3
Maryland Route 3
Maryland Route 3, also part of Robert Crain Highway, is the designation given to the former alignment of U.S. Route 301 from Bowie, Maryland, USA, to Baltimore. It is named for Robert Crain of Baltimore.-Route description:...
corridor (present-day I-97), which required less destruction of residences and businesses, should be built.
In 2010, a project improved the intersection of MD 2-4 and MD 231 in Prince Frederick. This project is a prelude to a larger project to expand MD 2-4 to six lanes between MD 765 south of Prince Frederick and Stoakley Road north of Prince Frederick.
Junction list
| County | Location | Mile |
Exit Exit number An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore.... |
Intersection | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calvert Calvert County, Maryland Calvert County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It occupies the Calvert Peninsula which is bordered on the east by the Chesapeake Bay and on the west by the Patuxent River. Calvert County is part of the Southern Maryland region. Calvert County's residents are among the highest... |
Solomons Island Solomons, Maryland Solomons is a community and census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,536 at the 2000 census... |
0.00 | MD 2G west (Lore Road) | Off-ramp from MD 4 north to MD 2. Lore Road continues east, county maintained. | |
| 0.13 | |||||
| 0.17 | South end of MD 4 overlap | ||||
| Lusby Lusby, Maryland Lusby is a place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was officially 1,666 at the 2000 census, although residents of the Chesapeake Ranch Estates-Drum Point community also use the Lusby zip code designation, making Lusby in fact a much larger community... |
3.26 | ||||
| 4.36 | |||||
| 6.12 | |||||
| 6.60 | |||||
| 7.00 | |||||
| 8.00 | |||||
| 8.84 | |||||
| St. Leonard St. Leonard, Maryland St. Leonard is a census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was officially 536 at the 2000 census, although residents of the Calvert Beach-Long Beach, Maryland community also use the St. Leonard zip code designation, making it in fact a much larger community... |
9.65 | ||||
| Port Republic Port Republic, Maryland Port Republic is a small, rural community located inCalvert County, Maryland. It is approximately5 miles south of Prince Frederick, Maryland, the countyseat of Calvert County... |
14.64 | ||||
| 14.66 | |||||
| 16.28 | |||||
| Prince Frederick Prince Frederick, Maryland Prince Frederick is a census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States, not to be confused with the incorporated, and much larger, city of Frederick some to the northwest in Frederick County... |
17.01 | ||||
| 18.57 | |||||
| 19.12 | |||||
| 19.27 | |||||
| 22.04 | |||||
| Huntingtown Huntingtown, Maryland Huntingtown is a census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,436 at the 2000 census. The community is growing, with many large estate homes in small developments off of Maryland Route 2/4. It has a public high school called Huntingtown High. The... |
24.28 | ||||
| 24.96 | |||||
| Sunderland Sunderland, Maryland Sunderland is a small, rural community located in Calvert County, Maryland, approximately 5 miles south of Dunkirk, Maryland and 10 miles north of Prince Frederick, Maryland. Although Sunderland is not incorporated and does not have a central business district, it does have a zip code, 20689... |
27.57 | North end of MD 4 overlap | |||
| 27.82 | |||||
| 28.80 | |||||
| 29.64 | |||||
| 29.95 | |||||
| 30.74 | |||||
| Owings Owings, Maryland Owings is a census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,325 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Owings is located at .... |
31.39 | ||||
| 32.05 | |||||
| Anne Arundel Anne Arundel County, Maryland Anne Arundel County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is named for Anne Arundell , a member of the ancient family of Arundells in Cornwall, England and the wife of Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore. Its county seat is Annapolis, which is also the capital of the state... |
|||||
| 34.34 | |||||
| 34.43 | |||||
| 35.98 | |||||
| 36.14 | |||||
| 36.19 | |||||
| Tracys Landing Tracys Landing, Maryland Tracys Landing is an unincorporated community in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. Tracy's Landing Tobacco House No. 2 was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. The St. James Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.Tracys Landing is... |
36.41 | ||||
| 36.67 | |||||
| 36.84 | |||||
| 38.17 | |||||
| Lothian Lothian, Maryland Lothian is an unincorporated community in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States.Lothian is a rural community in southern , Maryland, 12 miles southwest of Annapolis, Maryland, 24 miles east of Washington, DC, and 31 miles south of Baltimore, Maryland.... |
39.75 | ||||
| 39.95 | |||||
| 40.18 | Lothian Roundabout | ||||
| 41.48 | |||||
| 42.08 | |||||
| 42.21 | |||||
| Mayo Mayo, Maryland Mayo is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 3,153 at the 2000 census. Its beach was formerly a popular weekend resort.-Geography:Mayo is located at .... |
48.31 | , Washington Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution.... |
|||
| 49.33 | |||||
| 49.80 | |||||
| 50.61 | |||||
| Annapolis Annapolis, Maryland Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is... |
51.80 | Interchange | |||
| 52.09 | |||||
| 52.66 | |||||
| 52.89 | 23A | - Washington Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution.... |
South end of I-595/US 50/US 301 overlap | ||
| 54.08 | 24 | Signed as exits 24A (MD 70 south) and 24B (MD 70 north to Bestgate Road) southbound | |||
| 54.33 | I-595 ends | ||||
| 55.07 | Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge (Maryland) The Severn River Bridge, officially known as the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge, is a bridge that crosses the Severn River northwest of the city limits of Annapolis, Maryland. The bridge serves as part of the John Hanson Highway, which is signed as U.S. Route 50 and U.S. Route 301... over the Severn River Severn River (Maryland) The Severn River runs through Anne Arundel County in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is located south of the Magothy River, and north of the South River.-Geography:... |
||||
| Arnold Arnold, Maryland Arnold is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 23,422 at the 2000 census. Neighborhoods straddle College Parkway and Ritchie Highway. Arnold is located on the scenic Broadneck peninsula... |
55.99 | 27 | North end of US 50/US 301 overlap | ||
| 56.39 | |||||
| 57.56 | |||||
| Severna Park Severna Park, Maryland Severna Park is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 28,507 at the 2000 census.-History:Robinson House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.-Geography:... |
61.51 | South end of MD 648 overlap | |||
| 62.03 | North end of MD 648 overlap | ||||
| Pasadena Pasadena, Maryland Pasadena is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 12,093 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Pasadena is located at .... |
64.39 | ||||
| 66.10 | Interchange | ||||
| 66.24 | |||||
| Glen Burnie Glen Burnie, Maryland Glen Burnie is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States, and is a suburb of Baltimore. The population was 67,639 at the 2010 census... |
68.45 | ||||
| 69.87 | |||||
| 70.31 | |||||
| 70.71 | |||||
| 71.29 | Northbound exit, southbound entrance, exit 6B of I-895 | ||||
| 71.46 | Provides access to MD 2 from I-695 east | ||||
| 71.58 | Exit from MD 2 south to I-695 west, entrance to MD 2 north; exit 3A of I-695 | ||||
| Arundel Gardens | 72.40 | ||||
| Brooklyn Park Brooklyn Park, Maryland Brooklyn Park is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 10,938 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Brooklyn Park, MD is located at .... |
73.52 | ||||
| Baltimore City Baltimore Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore... |
73.86 | ||||
| 73.95 | Northbound exit to northbound I-895, southbound exit from southbound I-895; exit 7 of I-895 | ||||
| 75.32 | Hanover Street Bridge over the Middle Branch of the Patapsco River | ||||
| 75.95 | |||||
| 75.98 | – Washington Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution.... , Downtown Downtown Baltimore Downtown Baltimore is the section of Baltimore traditionally bounded by Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard to the west, Mt. Royal Avenue to the north, President Street to the east and the Inner Harbor area to the south. It consists of four neighborhoods: Westside, City Centre, Inner Harbor, and... |
Northbound exit, southbound entrance; exit 54 of I-95 | |||
| 77.10 | |||||
| 78.08 | No connection between MD 2 north and US 40 | ||||
| 78.93 | Exit from I-83 south to MD 2, exit 4 of I-83 | ||||
| 79.08 79.15 |
|||||
| 79.24 | |||||
Maryland Route 2 Truck
Maryland Route 2 Truck is a truck bypass of the Federal Hill neighborhood south of downtown BaltimoreDowntown Baltimore
Downtown Baltimore is the section of Baltimore traditionally bounded by Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard to the west, Mt. Royal Avenue to the north, President Street to the east and the Inner Harbor area to the south. It consists of four neighborhoods: Westside, City Centre, Inner Harbor, and...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The route runs east from MD 2 (Hanover Street) on McComas Street, paralleling I-95. From McComas Street, at exit 55 of Interstate 95 just west of the Fort McHenry Tunnel, the route continues onto Key Highway and heads north and west to Light Street
St. Paul Street-Calvert Street
St. Paul Street and Calvert Street are a one-way pair of streets in Downtown Baltimore and areas north. The streets, which are part of Maryland Route 2, are two of Baltimore's best-known streets in the downtown area.-St. Paul Street:...
(MD 2), mostly paralleling the Northwest Harbor and serving the piers on the harbor.
The road was laid out to a width of 160 feet (50 m) from Light Street to Locust Point
Locust Point, Baltimore
Locust Point is a peninsular neighborhood in Baltimore, Maryland. Located in South Baltimore, the neighborhood is entirely surrounded by the Locust Point Industrial Area; the traditional boundaries are Lawrence street to the west and the Patapsco River to the north, south, and east...
in the early 1910s, providing better access to the new city-owned piers in preparation for increased trade via the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
and existing steamship lines to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. It was named Key Highway because it was originally planned to extend to Fort McHenry
Fort McHenry
Fort McHenry, in Baltimore, Maryland, is a star-shaped fort best known for its role in the War of 1812, when it successfully defended Baltimore Harbor from an attack by the British navy in Chesapeake Bay...
, near where Francis Scott Key
Francis Scott Key
Francis Scott Key was an American lawyer, author, and amateur poet, from Georgetown, who wrote the lyrics to the United States' national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner".-Life:...
wrote "The Star-Spangled Banner
The Star-Spangled Banner
"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States of America. The lyrics come from "Defence of Fort McHenry", a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet, Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy ships...
." However, the extension of the road to the fort was never built. A rail line ran the length of Key Highway, connecting to the tracks in Pratt Street
Pratt Street
Pratt Street is a major street in Baltimore. It forms a one-way pair of streets with Lombard Street that run west-east through downtown Baltimore. For most of their route, Pratt Street is one-way in an eastbound direction, and Lombard Street is one way westbound. Both streets begin in west...
via Light Street. A two-lane extension of the highway and rail line was built in 1930, branching off the old route east of Ludlow Street and running south under Fort Avenue to McComas Street. The short portion of the old road east of the extension is now East Key Highway; the rail tracks have been removed.