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Interstate 170 (Maryland)
Encyclopedia
Interstate 170 is the former designation for a 1.39 miles (2.2 km) freeway in Baltimore, Maryland that is now designated as part of US 40
. The highway was originally envisioned as the eastern terminus of the Maryland portion of Interstate 70
, a major transcontinental route, and was later envisioned as a direct link between the Interstate and the western edge of the central business district
of Baltimore. However, with the loss of Interstate 70 in Baltimore, the route was deleted as an Interstate. Disapproval of the remaining depressed highway by Baltimore citizens, as well as environmental groups, has earned it the common nicknames of "The Highway to Nowhere" and "The Ditch"; in addition, other names include the "Westside Freeway" and the "Franklin–Mulberry Expressway", both referring to its location in the city.
station on MARC
's Penn Line
to seamlessly connect with the portion of I-170 that was constructed east of Pulaski Street. The unconstructed freeway would have had an eastbound exit ramp to Mulberry Street and a westbound entrance ramp from Franklin Street. These ramps, which were partially constructed when the highway was built and torn down in 2010, would have connected US 1 with I-170 in the direction of I-70.
The ramps from Mulberry Street and to Franklin Street to connect with the portion of I-170 that was completed are now part of US 40. The ramps merge with the uncompleted freeway under Fulton Street (northbound US 1). US 40 heads east as a six-lane freeway in a cut between Mulberry Street and Franklin Street. Along the way, it passes under eight roadway bridges and two pedestrian bridges (Stricker Street and Carrollton Avenue). East of the Schroeder Street underpass, the freeway reduces to four lanes at the eastbound ramp to Mulberry Street and the westbound ramp from Franklin Street, which connect the freeway with Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. After US 40 passes over the boulevard, the freeway ends by merging with Mulberry Street and Franklin Street just west of their intersections with Greene Street, which heads south as MD 295.
through Baltimore, Interstate 70
would have been routed through West Baltimore to join Interstate 95
, and Interstate 170 would have been a spur from Interstate 70 into central Baltimore. However, the spur was left stranded from the rest of the Interstate Highway System by the cancellation of Interstate 70 within the city limits of Baltimore.
By 1969, the Design Concept Team, a multi-discipline group assembled in 1966 by the city government to help design freeway routings that would not disrupt the city's fabric, had replaced the 10-D System with the Baltimore 3-A Interstate and Boulevard System. In the 3-A system, I-170 was brought into existence, and was planned as a freeway spur from I-70 (which would continue south toward the current alignment of I-95) through the Franklin St.-Mulberry St. corridor formerly followed by the East–West Expressway to the west edge of the central business district, connecting to a new route named Harbor City Boulevard (now known as Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard). Besides ending at the western edge of the central business district, I-170 would also run further south than the original East-West Expressway proposal. The 3-A System's result was that I-170 would provide direct access to the central business district. Curiously, I-170's three-way semi-directional interchange with I-70 was planned to be partially integrated with I-70's interchange with Hilton Parkway; diagrams of the interchange show that the ramp from eastbound I-70 to eastbound I-170 would have diverged within the latter interchange and run alongside I-70's eastbound carriageway to the western terminus of I-170, where it would diverge.
system; this rail line was never built, but current plans for the Red Line
, a proposed light rail
corridor to be built by 2016, makes use of the median.
" was later assigned to a different highway in Maryland (it now exists as a secret route for US 50
between the Capital Beltway
and Annapolis
). With I-170's connection to the Interstate system removed, it was promptly deleted. US 40 was rerouted onto the stub freeway in its place.
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...
. The highway was originally envisioned as the eastern terminus of the Maryland portion of Interstate 70
Interstate 70 in Maryland
Interstate 70 is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Cove Fort, Utah to Baltimore, Maryland. In Maryland, the Interstate Highway runs from the Pennsylvania state line in Hancock east to the Interstate's eastern terminus near its junction with I-695 at a park and ride in...
, a major transcontinental route, and was later envisioned as a direct link between the Interstate and the western edge of the central business district
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...
of Baltimore. However, with the loss of Interstate 70 in Baltimore, the route was deleted as an Interstate. Disapproval of the remaining depressed highway by Baltimore citizens, as well as environmental groups, has earned it the common nicknames of "The Highway to Nowhere" and "The Ditch"; in addition, other names include the "Westside Freeway" and the "Franklin–Mulberry Expressway", both referring to its location in the city.
Route description
I-170 would have begun at a directional-T interchange with I-70 where Baltimore Street and the Amtrak Northeast Corridor cross Gwynns Falls. The Interstate would have paralleled the north side of the railroad tracks through what is presently an industrial area. I-170 would have crossed Mulberry Street (eastbound US 40) and veered east through what are now parking lots for the West BaltimoreWest Baltimore (MARC station)
West Baltimore Station is a station on the MARC Penn Line located in the western part of Baltimore City along the Amtrak Northeast Corridor. It is located at 400 North Smallwood Street at the intersections of Mulberry and Franklin Streets...
station on MARC
MARC Train
MARC , known prior to 1984 as Maryland Rail Commuter Service, is a regional rail system comprising three lines in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. MARC is administered by the Maryland Transit Administration , a Maryland Department of Transportation agency, and is operated under contract...
's Penn Line
Penn Line (MARC)
The Penn Line is a MARC commuter rail line running from Union Station, Washington D.C. to Perryville, Maryland via Penn Station, Baltimore, Maryland on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor. It is MARC's busiest and only electric line. Currently the line is the fastest commuter rail line in the country, with...
to seamlessly connect with the portion of I-170 that was constructed east of Pulaski Street. The unconstructed freeway would have had an eastbound exit ramp to Mulberry Street and a westbound entrance ramp from Franklin Street. These ramps, which were partially constructed when the highway was built and torn down in 2010, would have connected US 1 with I-170 in the direction of I-70.
The ramps from Mulberry Street and to Franklin Street to connect with the portion of I-170 that was completed are now part of US 40. The ramps merge with the uncompleted freeway under Fulton Street (northbound US 1). US 40 heads east as a six-lane freeway in a cut between Mulberry Street and Franklin Street. Along the way, it passes under eight roadway bridges and two pedestrian bridges (Stricker Street and Carrollton Avenue). East of the Schroeder Street underpass, the freeway reduces to four lanes at the eastbound ramp to Mulberry Street and the westbound ramp from Franklin Street, which connect the freeway with Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. After US 40 passes over the boulevard, the freeway ends by merging with Mulberry Street and Franklin Street just west of their intersections with Greene Street, which heads south as MD 295.
History
Under the proposed routing of the Interstate HighwaysInterstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, , is a network of limited-access roads including freeways, highways, and expressways forming part of the National Highway System of the United States of America...
through Baltimore, Interstate 70
Interstate 70 in Maryland
Interstate 70 is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Cove Fort, Utah to Baltimore, Maryland. In Maryland, the Interstate Highway runs from the Pennsylvania state line in Hancock east to the Interstate's eastern terminus near its junction with I-695 at a park and ride in...
would have been routed through West Baltimore to join 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...
, and Interstate 170 would have been a spur from Interstate 70 into central Baltimore. However, the spur was left stranded from the rest of the Interstate Highway System by the cancellation of Interstate 70 within the city limits of Baltimore.
Planning
Several proposals were made during the 1940s and 1950s for an East–West Expressway through Baltimore. After nine different proposals were floated, in 1960 the city's Department of Planning published a proposal of its own. The route in the proposal (then designated as I-70N) would have begun in the western edge of the city, passing through Leakin Park and Gwynns Falls Park. It would have then curved south in the direction of Edmonson Avenue, then turned east and followed the Franklin St.-Mulberry St. corridor. It would have then curved south into the Pratt St. corridor and crossed the city to the north of the Inner Harbor on an elevated viaduct within the central business district, junctioning I-83 and I-95 in the southeast edge of the CBD. This routing was eventually further refined and modified and eventually became part of the Baltimore 10-D Interstate System, approved in 1962.By 1969, the Design Concept Team, a multi-discipline group assembled in 1966 by the city government to help design freeway routings that would not disrupt the city's fabric, had replaced the 10-D System with the Baltimore 3-A Interstate and Boulevard System. In the 3-A system, I-170 was brought into existence, and was planned as a freeway spur from I-70 (which would continue south toward the current alignment of I-95) through the Franklin St.-Mulberry St. corridor formerly followed by the East–West Expressway to the west edge of the central business district, connecting to a new route named Harbor City Boulevard (now known as Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard). Besides ending at the western edge of the central business district, I-170 would also run further south than the original East-West Expressway proposal. The 3-A System's result was that I-170 would provide direct access to the central business district. Curiously, I-170's three-way semi-directional interchange with I-70 was planned to be partially integrated with I-70's interchange with Hilton Parkway; diagrams of the interchange show that the ramp from eastbound I-70 to eastbound I-170 would have diverged within the latter interchange and run alongside I-70's eastbound carriageway to the western terminus of I-170, where it would diverge.
Construction
Construction began on I-170 in 1975 and was finished in 1979. The completed section runs mainly below street level, rising above it at both ends. The wide median space was originally reserved for a once-proposed branch of the Baltimore Metro SubwayBaltimore Metro Subway
The Baltimore Metro Subway, known locally as the Metro Subway, The Subway, or Baltimore Metro is a rapid transit line serving the greater Baltimore, Maryland, United States area and operated by the Maryland Transit Administration...
system; this rail line was never built, but current plans for the Red Line
Red Line (Baltimore)
The Red Line is a proposed east-west mass transit light rail line for Baltimore, Maryland. It is still in the planning stages and has been granted federal approval to enter the preliminary engineering phase...
, a proposed light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
corridor to be built by 2016, makes use of the median.
Cancellation
I-170's future was left in doubt after extended protest from environmental groups led to the cancellation of the segment of Interstate 70 between Security Boulevard (Exit 94) and I-170 (future Exit 96) on September 3, 1981. As a result of this cancellation, it was proposed to connect the existing I-170 to I-95 via the southern portion of the original proposed I-70 expansion, with the entire spur redesignated Interstate 595; however, this segment was canceled on July 22, 1983 in the face of further opposition. "Interstate 595Interstate 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....
" was later assigned to a different highway in Maryland (it now exists as a secret route for 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...
between the Capital Beltway
Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway)
Interstate 495 is a Interstate Highway that surrounds the United States' capital of Washington, D.C., and its inner suburbs in adjacent Maryland and Virginia. I-495 is widely known as the Capital Beltway or simply the Beltway, especially when the context of Washington, D.C., is clear...
and 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...
). With I-170's connection to the Interstate system removed, it was promptly deleted. US 40 was rerouted onto the stub freeway in its place.
Future
Various proposals for the isolated highway stub have been floated: in addition to the proposed use of its public transit right of way, it has also been suggested that the road be dismantled, with land filled for new homes to replace the ones that had been demolished for the freeway's construction. In 2010, demolition work began on the structures at the western edge of the highway that had been intended to link to the wider Interstate system and had never been used by automobiles; by 2012, these will be replaced by green space and a parking lot. The remaining section of the highway is still key to the proposed Red Line project.Exit list
Had I-170 been completed in its entirety, it would have run as follows from I-70:| Mile | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 0.00 |   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... – Ellicott City Ellicott City, Maryland Ellicott City is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Howard County, Maryland, United States. It is part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. The population was 65,834 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Howard County... , Frederick Frederick, Maryland Frederick is a city in north-central Maryland. It is the county seat of Frederick County, the largest county by area in the state of Maryland. Frederick is an outlying community of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of a greater... |
Western terminus |
| 0.00 |  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... – Washington D.C., New York City New York City New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and... |
|
| 0.90 | US 40 originally followed Franklin Street (westbound) and Mulberry Street (eastbound) | |
| 2.16 |   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 I-395 Interstate 395 (Maryland) Interstate 395 is an Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Cal Ripken Way, the highway runs from I-95 north to Howard Street and Camden Street in Baltimore. I-395 is a spur that heads north from I-95 over the Middle Branch of the Patapsco River toward Downtown Baltimore,... |
eastbound exit and westbound entrance |
| 2.30 | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance Eastern terminus of I-170 |