U.S. Route 219 in Maryland
Encyclopedia
U.S. Route 219 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Rich Creek, Virginia
to West Seneca, New York
. In the U.S. state
of Maryland
, the federal highway runs 48.4 miles (77.9 km) from the West Virginia
state line near Red House
to the Pennsylvania
state line near Grantsville
. Known as Garrett Highway for much of its length in Maryland, US 219 is the primary north–south route in Garrett County
, connecting Interstate 68
(I-68) and Oakland
. The federal highway also provides the main access to the resort area of Deep Creek Lake
, which includes Maryland's only ski area, Wisp Ski Resort
. US 219 is part of the National Highway System
for its entire length in Maryland.
The part of US 219 between Oakland and Keyser's Ridge was designated as part of the original state road system in 1909 by the Maryland State Roads Commission and constructed in the early 1910s. Chestnut Ridge Road near Grantsville was upgraded to a modern road in the late 1910s, while the Seneca Trail south of Oakland was mostly built in the 1920s. The US 219 designation was assigned to Chestnut Ridge Road and Maryland Route 37 (MD 37) was assigned to the highway south of Keyser's Ridge when federal and state route numbers were assigned in 1926 and 1927. The intersection with US 40
near Grantsville was the southern terminus of US 219 until the federal highway was extended through West Virginia in 1935. US 219 was almost completely rebuilt in the 1940s and 1950s, and moved onto I-68 in the late 1970s. Future plans call for a bypass of Oakland and construction of freeway north from I-68 to connect with other freeway portions of US 219 in Pennsylvania.
. The federal highway heads northeast from the West Virginia state line as two-lane Garrett Highway. After crossing the Youghiogheny River
, US 219 meets US 50
(George Washington Highway) at an intersection with a two-way stop in the hamlet of Red House. The federal highway turns northwest to intersect Ben Dewitt Road, a shortcut between US 219 north and US 50 west, then resumes its northeast heading toward Gortner, where the highway crosses Cherry Creek and passes Mason School Road. US 219 turns north and crosses the Little Youghiogheny River and CSX
's Mountain Subdivision
before entering Oakland and meeting the west end of MD 135
(Maryland Highway). The federal highway turns west onto Oak Street, while Ninth Street continues straight along the alignment of the future Oakland Bypass. US 219 continues west into the Oakland Historic District
. At the intersection with MD 39
(Oak Street) next to the Garrett County Courthouse
, the federal highway turns north onto Third Street. US 219 leaves the town limits of Oakland and regains the name Garrett Highway north of the Walmart Supercenter, where the Oakland Bypass is expected to rejoin the current alignment.
After leaving Oakland, US 219 passes to the east of Mount Nebo and meets the northern end of Sand Flat Road. The federal highway passes Mayhew Inn Road as US 219 enters the hamlet of Thayerville and the Deep Creek Lake resort area. After passing Glendale Road, which heads east toward Deep Creek Lake State Park and other destinations on the east side of the lake, the federal highway turns northwest and parallels the west shore of the lake. After passing Lakeshore Drive, US 219 crosses the lake on the Deep Creek Bridge. The federal highway becomes a partially controlled access highway on the hillside above the lake, while Deep Creek Drive, the old alignment of US 219, follows the shore and provides access to vacation homes. US 219 parallels Marsh Run Cove north into a commercial area in the unincorporated village of McHenry
. In McHenry, the federal highway intersects Mosser Road, which provides access to Garrett College
and Garrett County Airport
, and Sang Run Road, which leads to Wisp Ski Resort. After meeting the northern end of Deep Creek Drive, MD 42
(Friendsville Road) splits to the north and the federal highway re-enters rural areas. US 219 continues northeast, crossing the South Branch of Bear Creek before entering the town of Accident
. The federal highway is marked as Main Street and intersects Accident Friendsville Road and Accident Bittinger Road, which heads east toward the James Drane House
.
After leaving Accident, US 219 encounters an access road to Bear Creek Road and Fish Hatchery Road near the Kaese Mill
before the federal highway crosses the latter road and Bear Creek and begins the ascent to Keyser's Ridge, with the northbound direction gaining a climbing lane. After passing Northern Garrett High School and a scenic overlook, the federal highway curves to the east and then back north as it approaches the summit. The climbing lane ends northbound and another climbing lane begins in the southbound direction. Shortly after the descent from the summit, US 219 meets I-68 (National Freeway) and US 40 at Exit 14 of I-68 in Keyser's Ridge. US 219 exits onto the eastbound direction of the freeway at a cloverleaf interchange
, while US 40 heads north from the interchange to meet the west end of US 40 ALT then turn northwest into Pennsylvania. After meeting MD 495
at Exit 19 in Grantsville, US 219 exits north onto Chestnut Ridge Road at Exit 22. The federal highway intersects US 40 ALT (National Pike) in the hamlet of High Point before crossing the Pennsylvania state line, where US 219 continues north toward Meyersdale
. North of Interstate 68
, 219 is part of the Appalachian Development Highway System
's Corridor N which runs from Corridor E (I-68) north to Corridor M (U.S. Route 22
) near Ebensburg, Pennsylvania
.
at Red House to the National Turnpike at Keyser's Ridge for upgrade to an all-weather road as part of the original state road system. The existing road followed roughly the same alignment as the present US 219, with four major deviations: south of Oakland, where the road followed Monte Vista Road, Underwood Road, and Third Street north to Oak Street; at Deep Creek, where the road crossed Deep Creek to the east of the present Deep Creek Bridge; Hoyes, where the road followed Friendsville Road north to Hoyes, then Hoyes Road east to the present alignment; and north of Accident, where the road turned northeast and used a very curvy alignment to cross Bear Creek and climb the lower slopes of Keyser's Ridge to meet the present road near Northern Garrett High School. The new highway, known as the State Road, was completed from Oakland to Thayerville in 1910. The segment from Thayerville to McHenry, which followed the pre-existing alignment, was under construction by 1911 and completed in 1913. The highway from McHenry to Accident, which bypassed Hoyes, was completed in 1914. Finally, the section from Accident to Keyser's Ridge, which bypassed the crooked road around Bear Creek, was completed in 1915.
Once the highway from Oakland to Keyser's Ridge was completed, attention turned to the south of Oakland. The new road, constructed from Oakland to Gortner in 1915 and 1916, met the road to Mountain Lake Park, now Oakland Drive, next to Southern Garrett High School, then followed Oak Street west into the county seat. The road from Gortner to Red House was constructed between 1924 and 1927. The highway was paved south to the West Virginia state line in 1928. The Chestnut Ridge Road was completed in 1923. The Deep Creek Dam was constructed starting in 1923 and Deep Creek Lake began to fill in January 1925. The State Road was relocated around Deep Creek Lake and the first Deep Creek Bridge was built in 1924. Chestnut Ridge Road was designated the southern end of US 219 in the U.S. Highway System designated in 1926. The road south from Keyser's Ridge was marked as MD 37 in 1927. In 1935, US 219 was extended west along US 40 and then south toward West Virginia, replacing the MD 37 designation for its entire length.
After World War II, US 219 was reconstructed into its modern form for most of its length. The segment between Oakland and Thayerville was reconstructed between 1948 and 1950. The stretch from Keyser's Ridge to Accident was relocated around 1950. The section of US 219 between Gortner and Red House was widened between 1950 and 1952. The stretch between Thayerville and the Deep Creek Bridge was rebuilt from 1952 to 1955. The McHenry to Accident part of US 219 was reconstructed starting in 1952. Chestnut Ridge Road was relocated around 1956. Finally, US 219 between Gortner and Oakland was rebuilt between 1957 and 1959, including a relocation at the northern end that included its present intersection with MD 135 and a bridge over the B&O Railroad. In the late 1960s, US 219 was relocated from the Deep Creek Bridge through McHenry, leaving behind Deep Creek Drive as an old alignment. After the construction of I-68 in the mid 1970s, US 219 was moved to the new freeway between Keyser's Ridge and Chestnut Ridge Road in 1978. The present Deep Creek Bridge was completed in 1987, replacing the 1924 structure.
.
{| class=wikitable
!Location
!Mile
!Exit
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=2|Red House
|0.00
|rowspan=10|
| – Thomas, WV
, Parsons, WV
|West Virginia state line
|-
|3.01
| – Gormania, WV
, Aurora, WV
|
|-
|rowspan=1|Gortner
|7.06
|Mason School Road east
|Former MD 394
|-
|rowspan=2|Oakland
|10.93
|
|US 219 turns west onto Oak Street
|-
|11.47
|
|US 219 turns north onto Third Street
|-
|rowspan=1|Thayerville
|17.70
|Sand Flat Road south – Deer Park
|Old alignment of MD 38
|-
|rowspan=3|McHenry
|22.23
|Deep Creek Drive north / Rock Lodge Road east – Bittinger
|rowspan=2|Deep Creek Drive is the old alignment of US 219
|-
|25.12
|Deep Creek Drive south
|-
|25.88
|
|
|-
|rowspan=1|Accident
|32.79
|Bear Creek Road west / Fish Hatchery Road east
|Bear Creek Road is the old alignment of MD 42
|-
|rowspan=1|Keyser's Ridge
|37.42
|14
| – Morgantown
, Uniontown, PA
|South end of concurrency with I-68 / US 40; US 219 uses I-68 exit numbers
|-
|rowspan=4|Grantsville
|0
|19
|
|
|-
|45.86
|22
|
|rowspan=1|North end of concurrency with I-68 / US 40
|-
|46.33
|rowspan=2|
|
|
|-
|48.40
| – Meyersdale, PA
, Johnstown, PA
|Pennsylvania state line
auxiliary routes, several of which connect with segments of MD 826
. US 219A and US 219B are found around Oakland, US 219C through 219G are located between Accident and Keyser's Ridge, and US 219J is near Grantsville.
Rich Creek, Virginia
Rich Creek is a town in Giles County, Virginia, United States. The population was 665 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Blacksburg–Christiansburg–Radford Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
to West Seneca, New York
West Seneca, New York
West Seneca is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 44,711 at the 2010 census. West Seneca is a centrally-located interior town of the county, and a suburb of Buffalo...
. 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 federal highway runs 48.4 miles (77.9 km) from the West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
state line near Red House
Red House, Maryland
Red House is an unincorporated community in Garrett County, Maryland, United States, located at the intersection of U.S. Route 50 and U.S. Route 219 near the West Virginia state line....
to the Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
state line near Grantsville
Grantsville, Maryland
Grantsville is a town in Garrett County, Maryland, United States. The population was 619 at the 2000 census.-History:Grantsville, 1/2 mile west of the Casselman River, began as a small Amish and Mennonite settlement, called Tomlinson's or Little Crossing, along Braddock rd., which wound westward...
. Known as Garrett Highway for much of its length in Maryland, US 219 is the primary north–south route in Garrett County
Garrett County, Maryland
Garrett County is the westernmost county of the U.S. state of Maryland. Created from Allegany County, Maryland in 1872 it was the last Maryland county to be formed. It was named for John Work Garrett , railroad executive, industrialist, and financier. Garrett served as president of the Baltimore...
, connecting Interstate 68
Interstate 68
Interstate 68 is a Interstate highway in the U.S. states of West Virginia and Maryland, connecting in Morgantown to in Hancock. is also Corridor E of the Appalachian Development Highway System. From 1965 until the freeway's construction was completed in 1991, it was designated as...
(I-68) and Oakland
Oakland, Maryland
Oakland is a town in the west-central part of Garrett County, Maryland, United States. With a population of 1,925 according to United States Census 2010 figures, it is the most populated community in Garrett County...
. The federal highway also provides the main access to the resort area of Deep Creek Lake
Deep Creek Lake
Deep Creek Lake is the largest inland body of water in the state of Maryland. It covers approximately and has of shoreline. Like all lakes in Maryland, it is man-made. The lake is home to a wide variety of freshwater fish and aquatic birds. The Wisp ski resort is located nearby...
, which includes Maryland's only ski area, Wisp Ski Resort
Wisp Ski Resort
The Wisp Ski Resort is located next to Deep Creek Lake in the town of McHenry in Garrett County, Maryland. The resort is near the border with West Virginia and Western Pennsylvania/Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area. It is located 32 miles from Cumberland, Maryland, 2 hours from Pittsburgh, 3.5 hours...
. US 219 is part of the National Highway System
National Highway System (United States)
The National Highway System is a network of strategic highways within the United States, including the Interstate Highway System and other roads serving major airports, ports, rail or truck terminals, railway stations, pipeline terminals and other strategic transport facilities.Individual states...
for its entire length in Maryland.
The part of US 219 between Oakland and Keyser's Ridge was designated as part of the original state road system in 1909 by the Maryland State Roads Commission and constructed in the early 1910s. Chestnut Ridge Road near Grantsville was upgraded to a modern road in the late 1910s, while the Seneca Trail south of Oakland was mostly built in the 1920s. The US 219 designation was assigned to Chestnut Ridge Road and Maryland Route 37 (MD 37) was assigned to the highway south of Keyser's Ridge when federal and state route numbers were assigned in 1926 and 1927. The intersection with US 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...
near Grantsville was the southern terminus of US 219 until the federal highway was extended through West Virginia in 1935. US 219 was almost completely rebuilt in the 1940s and 1950s, and moved onto I-68 in the late 1970s. Future plans call for a bypass of Oakland and construction of freeway north from I-68 to connect with other freeway portions of US 219 in Pennsylvania.
Route description
US 219 enters Maryland in the southwest corner of Garrett County just to the west of Backbone MountainBackbone Mountain
Backbone Mountain is a ridge of the Allegheny Mountains of the central Appalachian Mountain Range. It is situated in the U.S. states of West Virginia and Maryland and forms a portion of the Eastern Continental Divide...
. The federal highway heads northeast from the West Virginia state line as two-lane Garrett Highway. After crossing the Youghiogheny River
Youghiogheny River
The Youghiogheny River , or the Yough for short, is a tributary of the Monongahela River in the U.S. states of West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania...
, US 219 meets US 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...
(George Washington Highway) at an intersection with a two-way stop in the hamlet of Red House. The federal highway turns northwest to intersect Ben Dewitt Road, a shortcut between US 219 north and US 50 west, then resumes its northeast heading toward Gortner, where the highway crosses Cherry Creek and passes Mason School Road. US 219 turns north and crosses the Little Youghiogheny River and CSX
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
's Mountain Subdivision
Mountain Subdivision
The Mountain Subdivision is a railroad line owned and operated by CSX Transportation in the U.S. states of Maryland and West Virginia. The line runs from Cumberland, Maryland west to Grafton, West Virginia along the original Baltimore and Ohio Rail Road main line...
before entering Oakland and meeting the west end of MD 135
Maryland Route 135
Maryland Route 135 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known for most of its length as Maryland Highway, the state highway runs from U.S. Route 219 in Oakland in Garrett County east to US 220 in McCoole in Allegany County...
(Maryland Highway). The federal highway turns west onto Oak Street, while Ninth Street continues straight along the alignment of the future Oakland Bypass. US 219 continues west into the Oakland Historic District
Oakland Historic District (Oakland, Maryland)
Oakland Historic District is a national historic district in Oakland, Garrett County, Maryland. It is an L-shaped area in the central and older section of Oakland, containing 206 buildings. They reflect the evolution of this rural county seat from the mid 19th to the mid 20th centuries...
. At the intersection with MD 39
Maryland Route 39
Maryland Route 39 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known for much of its length as Hutton Road, the state highway begins at the West Virginia state line in Hutton, where the highway continues west as West Virginia Route 7 . MD 39, which is the westernmost state-numbered highway...
(Oak Street) next to the Garrett County Courthouse
Garrett County Courthouse
The Garrett County Courthouse is a historic county courthouse located at Oakland, Garrett County, Maryland, United States. It is a three story, 1907-1908 neo-classical Renaissance Revival masonry structure in the form of a Latin Cross with a central rotunda and dome...
, the federal highway turns north onto Third Street. US 219 leaves the town limits of Oakland and regains the name Garrett Highway north of the Walmart Supercenter, where the Oakland Bypass is expected to rejoin the current alignment.
After leaving Oakland, US 219 passes to the east of Mount Nebo and meets the northern end of Sand Flat Road. The federal highway passes Mayhew Inn Road as US 219 enters the hamlet of Thayerville and the Deep Creek Lake resort area. After passing Glendale Road, which heads east toward Deep Creek Lake State Park and other destinations on the east side of the lake, the federal highway turns northwest and parallels the west shore of the lake. After passing Lakeshore Drive, US 219 crosses the lake on the Deep Creek Bridge. The federal highway becomes a partially controlled access highway on the hillside above the lake, while Deep Creek Drive, the old alignment of US 219, follows the shore and provides access to vacation homes. US 219 parallels Marsh Run Cove north into a commercial area in the unincorporated village of McHenry
McHenry, Maryland
McHenry is a small community located in Garrett County, Maryland on the northern most shore of Deep Creek Lake.Located on the outskirts of McHenry is the Garrett County Airport, Wisp Ski Resort, and Golf Club at Wisp....
. In McHenry, the federal highway intersects Mosser Road, which provides access to Garrett College
Garrett College
Garrett College is a two-year college located in McHenry, Garrett County, in far western Maryland. Established in 1967 as Garrett Community College, it opened its doors in 1971, and took its present name in 2002...
and Garrett County Airport
Garrett County Airport
Garrett County Airport is a public airport located 13 miles northeast of the central business district of Oakland, a town in Garrett County, Maryland, USA.- Facilities :Garrett County Airport covers and has one runway:...
, and Sang Run Road, which leads to Wisp Ski Resort. After meeting the northern end of Deep Creek Drive, MD 42
Maryland Route 42
Maryland Route 42 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Friendsville Road, the state highway runs from U.S. Route 219 near McHenry north to the Pennsylvania state line in Asher Glade, where the highway continues as State Route 2013 in Fayette County toward Pennsylvania...
(Friendsville Road) splits to the north and the federal highway re-enters rural areas. US 219 continues northeast, crossing the South Branch of Bear Creek before entering the town of Accident
Accident, Maryland
Accident is a town in Garrett County, Maryland, United States. The population was 353 at the 2000 census. The town is home to Northern Garrett High School...
. The federal highway is marked as Main Street and intersects Accident Friendsville Road and Accident Bittinger Road, which heads east toward the James Drane House
James Drane House
The James Drane House is a historic home located at Accident, Garrett County, Maryland, United States. It is a -story, long rectangular log and frame structure with a pitched gable roof, and an exterior stone chimney. A small cemetery about 100 yards to the north marks the site of Zion Lutheran...
.
After leaving Accident, US 219 encounters an access road to Bear Creek Road and Fish Hatchery Road near the Kaese Mill
Kaese Mill
Kaese Mill is a historic grist mill located at Accident, Garrett County, Maryland, United States. It was constructed about 1868, and is a -story frame water-powered grist mill. It is the only fully operational water-powered grist mill in Maryland...
before the federal highway crosses the latter road and Bear Creek and begins the ascent to Keyser's Ridge, with the northbound direction gaining a climbing lane. After passing Northern Garrett High School and a scenic overlook, the federal highway curves to the east and then back north as it approaches the summit. The climbing lane ends northbound and another climbing lane begins in the southbound direction. Shortly after the descent from the summit, US 219 meets I-68 (National Freeway) and US 40 at Exit 14 of I-68 in Keyser's Ridge. US 219 exits onto the eastbound direction of the freeway at a cloverleaf interchange
Cloverleaf interchange
A cloverleaf interchange is a two-level interchange in which left turns, reverse direction in left-driving regions, are handled by ramp roads...
, while US 40 heads north from the interchange to meet the west end of US 40 ALT then turn northwest into Pennsylvania. After meeting MD 495
Maryland Route 495
Maryland Route 495 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known for most of its length as Bittinger Road, the state highway runs from MD 135 in Altamont north to U.S. Route 40 Alternate in Grantsville. MD 495 passes through rural areas of central Garrett County, connecting Bittinger...
at Exit 19 in Grantsville, US 219 exits north onto Chestnut Ridge Road at Exit 22. The federal highway intersects US 40 ALT (National Pike) in the hamlet of High Point before crossing the Pennsylvania state line, where US 219 continues north toward Meyersdale
Meyersdale, Pennsylvania
Meyersdale is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, on the Casselman River, southeast of Pittsburgh. In the past, its chief industry was the mining of coal. Meyersdale was first settled as early as 1776, but the growth of the town dates from the advent of the first railroad in 1871. Coal...
. North of Interstate 68
Interstate 68
Interstate 68 is a Interstate highway in the U.S. states of West Virginia and Maryland, connecting in Morgantown to in Hancock. is also Corridor E of the Appalachian Development Highway System. From 1965 until the freeway's construction was completed in 1991, it was designated as...
, 219 is part of the Appalachian Development Highway System
Appalachian Development Highway System
The Appalachian Development Highway System is part of the Appalachian Regional Commission in the United States. See: .-History:...
's Corridor N which runs from Corridor E (I-68) north to Corridor M (U.S. Route 22
U.S. Route 22
U.S. Route 22 is a west–east route and is one of the original United States highways of 1926, running from Cincinnati, Ohio, at US 27, US 42, US 127, and US 52 to Newark, New Jersey, at U.S. Route 1/9 near the Newark Liberty International Airport.US 22 also carries the names of the William...
) near Ebensburg, Pennsylvania
Ebensburg, Pennsylvania
Ebensburg is a borough located in, and is the seat of, Cambria County, Pennsylvania, west of Altoona and surrounded by Cambria Township. It is situated in the Alleghenies about 2025 feet above sea level. Ebensburg is located in a rich bituminous coal region. In the past, saw mills, tanneries,...
.
History
In 1909, the Maryland State Roads Commission targeted the pre-existing road from the Northwestern TurnpikeNorthwestern Turnpike
The Northwestern Turnpike is a historic road in West Virginia , important for being historically one of the major roads crossing the Appalachians, financed by the Virginia Board of Public Works in the 1830s. In modern times, west of Winchester, Virginia, U.S...
at Red House to the National Turnpike at Keyser's Ridge for upgrade to an all-weather road as part of the original state road system. The existing road followed roughly the same alignment as the present US 219, with four major deviations: south of Oakland, where the road followed Monte Vista Road, Underwood Road, and Third Street north to Oak Street; at Deep Creek, where the road crossed Deep Creek to the east of the present Deep Creek Bridge; Hoyes, where the road followed Friendsville Road north to Hoyes, then Hoyes Road east to the present alignment; and north of Accident, where the road turned northeast and used a very curvy alignment to cross Bear Creek and climb the lower slopes of Keyser's Ridge to meet the present road near Northern Garrett High School. The new highway, known as the State Road, was completed from Oakland to Thayerville in 1910. The segment from Thayerville to McHenry, which followed the pre-existing alignment, was under construction by 1911 and completed in 1913. The highway from McHenry to Accident, which bypassed Hoyes, was completed in 1914. Finally, the section from Accident to Keyser's Ridge, which bypassed the crooked road around Bear Creek, was completed in 1915.
Once the highway from Oakland to Keyser's Ridge was completed, attention turned to the south of Oakland. The new road, constructed from Oakland to Gortner in 1915 and 1916, met the road to Mountain Lake Park, now Oakland Drive, next to Southern Garrett High School, then followed Oak Street west into the county seat. The road from Gortner to Red House was constructed between 1924 and 1927. The highway was paved south to the West Virginia state line in 1928. The Chestnut Ridge Road was completed in 1923. The Deep Creek Dam was constructed starting in 1923 and Deep Creek Lake began to fill in January 1925. The State Road was relocated around Deep Creek Lake and the first Deep Creek Bridge was built in 1924. Chestnut Ridge Road was designated the southern end of US 219 in the U.S. Highway System designated in 1926. The road south from Keyser's Ridge was marked as MD 37 in 1927. In 1935, US 219 was extended west along US 40 and then south toward West Virginia, replacing the MD 37 designation for its entire length.
After World War II, US 219 was reconstructed into its modern form for most of its length. The segment between Oakland and Thayerville was reconstructed between 1948 and 1950. The stretch from Keyser's Ridge to Accident was relocated around 1950. The section of US 219 between Gortner and Red House was widened between 1950 and 1952. The stretch between Thayerville and the Deep Creek Bridge was rebuilt from 1952 to 1955. The McHenry to Accident part of US 219 was reconstructed starting in 1952. Chestnut Ridge Road was relocated around 1956. Finally, US 219 between Gortner and Oakland was rebuilt between 1957 and 1959, including a relocation at the northern end that included its present intersection with MD 135 and a bridge over the B&O Railroad. In the late 1960s, US 219 was relocated from the Deep Creek Bridge through McHenry, leaving behind Deep Creek Drive as an old alignment. After the construction of I-68 in the mid 1970s, US 219 was moved to the new freeway between Keyser's Ridge and Chestnut Ridge Road in 1978. The present Deep Creek Bridge was completed in 1987, replacing the 1924 structure.
Future
There are two projects planned for US 219 in Maryland. The Oakland Bypass will run from the present intersection of US 219 and MD 135 on the east edge of the town to US 219 north of the Walmart Supercenter. There are also plans by Maryland and Pennsylvania to upgrade US 219 to a freeway between I-68 east of Grantsville and the existing freeway bypass of Meyersdale.Junction list
The entire route is in Garrett CountyGarrett County, Maryland
Garrett County is the westernmost county of the U.S. state of Maryland. Created from Allegany County, Maryland in 1872 it was the last Maryland county to be formed. It was named for John Work Garrett , railroad executive, industrialist, and financier. Garrett served as president of the Baltimore...
.
{| class=wikitable
!Location
!Mile
!Exit
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=2|Red House
Red House, Maryland
Red House is an unincorporated community in Garrett County, Maryland, United States, located at the intersection of U.S. Route 50 and U.S. Route 219 near the West Virginia state line....
|0.00
|rowspan=10|
| – Thomas, WV
Thomas, West Virginia
Thomas is a city in Tucker County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 452 at the 2000 census.-History:The town was named for Thomas Beall Davis....
, Parsons, WV
Parsons, West Virginia
The town of Parsons is the county seat of Tucker County, West Virginia, in the United States. The population was 1,463 at the 2000 census. The mayor of Parsons is Dorothy Judy and the city administrator is Jason Myers...
|West Virginia state line
|-
|3.01
| – Gormania, WV
Gormania, West Virginia
Gormania is an unincorporated community along the North Branch Potomac River in Grant County, West Virginia. Gormania lies on the Northwestern Turnpike , which crosses the North Branch into Gorman, Maryland via Gormania Bridge. It is named for United States Senator from Maryland, Arthur P. Gorman...
, Aurora, WV
Aurora, West Virginia
Aurora is an unincorporated census-designated place in Preston County, West Virginia, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 201. Aurora was originally a German settlement. The town was originally called Salem and later Mount Carmel...
|
|-
|rowspan=1|Gortner
|7.06
|Mason School Road east
|Former MD 394
|-
|rowspan=2|Oakland
Oakland, Maryland
Oakland is a town in the west-central part of Garrett County, Maryland, United States. With a population of 1,925 according to United States Census 2010 figures, it is the most populated community in Garrett County...
|10.93
|
|US 219 turns west onto Oak Street
|-
|11.47
|
|US 219 turns north onto Third Street
|-
|rowspan=1|Thayerville
|17.70
|Sand Flat Road south – Deer Park
Deer Park, Maryland
Deer Park is a town in Garrett County, Maryland, United States. The population was 399 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Deer Park is located at ....
|Old alignment of MD 38
|-
|rowspan=3|McHenry
McHenry, Maryland
McHenry is a small community located in Garrett County, Maryland on the northern most shore of Deep Creek Lake.Located on the outskirts of McHenry is the Garrett County Airport, Wisp Ski Resort, and Golf Club at Wisp....
|22.23
|Deep Creek Drive north / Rock Lodge Road east – Bittinger
Bittinger, Maryland
Bittinger is an unincorporated community in northeastern Garrett County, Maryland, United States, on the western edge of the Savage River State Forest. It lies along Maryland Route 495 northeast of the city of Oakland, the county seat of Garrett County. Its elevation is 2,690 feet . ...
|rowspan=2|Deep Creek Drive is the old alignment of US 219
|-
|25.12
|Deep Creek Drive south
|-
|25.88
|
|
|-
|rowspan=1|Accident
Accident, Maryland
Accident is a town in Garrett County, Maryland, United States. The population was 353 at the 2000 census. The town is home to Northern Garrett High School...
|32.79
|Bear Creek Road west / Fish Hatchery Road east
|Bear Creek Road is the old alignment of MD 42
|-
|rowspan=1|Keyser's Ridge
|37.42
|14
| – Morgantown
Morgantown, West Virginia
Morgantown is a city in Monongalia County, West Virginia. It is the county seat of Monongalia County. Placed along the banks of the Monongahela River, Morgantown is the largest city in North-Central West Virginia, and the base of the Morgantown metropolitan area...
, Uniontown, PA
Uniontown, Pennsylvania
Uniontown is a city in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh and part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. Population in 1900, 7,344; in 1910, 13,344; in 1920, 15,692; and in 1940, 21,819. The population was 10,372 at the 2010 census...
|South end of concurrency with I-68 / US 40; US 219 uses I-68 exit numbers
|-
|rowspan=4|Grantsville
Grantsville, Maryland
Grantsville is a town in Garrett County, Maryland, United States. The population was 619 at the 2000 census.-History:Grantsville, 1/2 mile west of the Casselman River, began as a small Amish and Mennonite settlement, called Tomlinson's or Little Crossing, along Braddock rd., which wound westward...
|0
|19
|
|
|-
|45.86
|22
|
|rowspan=1|North end of concurrency with I-68 / US 40
|-
|46.33
|rowspan=2|
|
|
|-
|48.40
| – Meyersdale, PA
Meyersdale, Pennsylvania
Meyersdale is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, on the Casselman River, southeast of Pittsburgh. In the past, its chief industry was the mining of coal. Meyersdale was first settled as early as 1776, but the growth of the town dates from the advent of the first railroad in 1871. Coal...
, Johnstown, PA
Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Johnstown is a city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States, west-southwest of Altoona, Pennsylvania and east of Pittsburgh. The population was 20,978 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Cambria County...
|Pennsylvania state line
Auxiliary routes
US 219 has eight unsignedUnsigned highway
An unsigned highway is a highway that has been assigned a route number, but does not bear conventional road markings that would normally be used to identify the route with that number...
auxiliary routes, several of which connect with segments of MD 826
Maryland Route 826
-External links:*...
. US 219A and US 219B are found around Oakland, US 219C through 219G are located between Accident and Keyser's Ridge, and US 219J is near Grantsville.
- US 219A is the designation for Weber Road, a 0.1 mile (0.160934 km) connector between MD 826A (Weber Road/SHA Drive) and the intersection of US 219 and MD 826B (Lumber City Road) in Oakland.
- US 219B is the designation for an unnamed 0.01 mile (0.0160934 km) connector between US 219 and MD 826C between Gortner and Oakland.
- US 219C is the designation for an unnamed 0.01 mile (0.0160934 km) connector between US 219 and MD 826G between Accident and Bear Creek.
- US 219D is the designation for a 0.01 mile (0.0160934 km) connector between US 219 and MD 826J (Stockyard Road) near its southern end in Keyser's Ridge.
- US 219E is the designation for a 0.01 mile (0.0160934 km) connector between US 219 and MD 826J (Stockyard Road) near its northern end in Keyser's Ridge.
- US 219F is the designation for a 0.02 mile (0.0321868 km) connector between US 219 and MD 826K south of Keyser's Ridge.
- US 219G is the designation for Ryland Court, a 0.04 mile (0.0643736 km) connector between US 219 and MD 826L south of Keyser's Ridge.
- US 219J is the designation for a 0.14 mile (0.2253076 km) segment of Chestnut Ridge Road immediately south of Exit 22 of I-68.