Maryland Route 3
Encyclopedia
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.
. North of MD 424
, the median between the carriageways is up to 300 feet (91.4 m) in width; several fast-food
restaurants occupy the median in this area. The route was upgraded to this format in its persona as US 301
in 1954.
The route is severely congested; attempts to bypass it with new routings have failed. One such routing would have been Interstate 297, a direct freeway link between Interstate 97
and US 50
/US 301
/I-595
.
In the past, Crain Highway originally held the designation MD 3, then US 301, and it currently carries both of these designations on different sections.
Started in 1922, Crain Highway was a new road built by the Maryland State Road Commission and ran from Baltimore to Southern Maryland. It was completed in 1927. With the opening of the Potomac River Bridge in 1940 it was joined with U.S. Route 301
. After the Chesapeake Bay Bridge
was built in 1952, US 301, which at that time ran along the current alignment of MD 3, was rerouted along US 50
, across the Bay Bridge, and north to Wilmington, Delaware
, as a bypass around the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area
. Former US 301 north of US 50 was then given back the MD 3 designation. After the construction of Interstate 97
, MD 3 was cut back to I-97
/MD 32
, which led to the oddity of Maryland Route 3 Business in Glen Burnie
being completely orphaned from its parent route. Despite this, the route is still designated Business MD 3 as recently as 2011.
Route 3 runs from the US 50/US 301 interchange (the western end of the US 50/301 concurrency
) to an interchange with Interstate 97. Business MD 3 begins 9 miles (14.5 km) north of MD 3's northern terminus along Interstate 97 and runs through Glen Burnie.
and is the northernmost part of the Robert Crain Highway. Maryland Business 3 starts at the Governor Ritchie Highway (Maryland Route 2
) and continues south into Southgate and then ends officially at Interstate 97
where it becomes New Cut Road and the Business Route 3 designation is discontinued. Business Route 3 is the only Maryland state highway that no longer connects with its parent route. The reason behind that is because its parent route, Maryland Route 3, used to have the right of way where Interstate 97
currently is. Now MD 3 ends 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Business Route 3's junction with Interstate 97. Robert Crain Highway is also the names of Maryland Route 3 between Millersville
and Bowie
and after Route 3 terminates at U.S. Route 301
in Bowie, southbound US 301 continues as that name until it reaches the Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge
that crosses the Potomac River
into Dahlgren
, Virginia
.
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...
from Bowie, Maryland
Bowie, Maryland
Bowie is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 54,727 at the 2010 census. Bowie has grown from a small railroad stop to the largest municipality in Prince George's County, and the fifth most populous city and third largest city by area in the state of...
, USA, to Baltimore. It is named for Robert Crain of Baltimore.
Route description
The route is a direct continuation of the four-lane divided highway previously followed by US 301U.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...
. North of MD 424
Maryland Route 424
Maryland Route 424 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Davidsonville Road, the state highway runs from MD 214 in Davidsonville north to MD 3 in Crofton.-Route description:...
, the median between the carriageways is up to 300 feet (91.4 m) in width; several fast-food
Fast food
Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a...
restaurants occupy the median in this area. The route was upgraded to this format in its persona as US 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...
in 1954.
The route is severely congested; attempts to bypass it with new routings have failed. One such routing would have been Interstate 297, a direct freeway link between 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...
and 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...
/US 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...
/I-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....
.
History
Started in 1922, Crain Highway was a new road built by the Maryland State Road Commission and ran from Baltimore to Southern Maryland. It was completed in 1927. With the opening of the Potomac River Bridge in 1940 it was joined with 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...
. After the Chesapeake Bay Bridge
Chesapeake Bay Bridge
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge is a major dual-span bridge in the U.S. state of Maryland. Spanning the Chesapeake Bay, it connects the state's rural Eastern Shore region with the more urban Western Shore. The original span opened in 1952 and, at the time, with a length of , it was the world's longest...
was built in 1952, US 301, which at that time ran along the current alignment of MD 3, was rerouted along 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...
, across the Bay Bridge, and north to Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
, as a bypass around the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area
Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area
The Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area is a combined statistical area consisting of the overlapping labor market region of the cities of Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C.. The region includes Central Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Jefferson County in the Eastern Panhandle of West...
. Former US 301 north of US 50 was then given back the MD 3 designation. After the construction of 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...
, MD 3 was cut back to I-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...
/MD 32
Maryland Route 32
Maryland Route 32 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The state highway runs from Interstate 97 and MD 3 in Millersville west and north to Washington Road in Westminster. The east–west portion of MD 32 is the Patuxent Freeway, a four- to six-lane...
, which led to the oddity of Maryland Route 3 Business 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...
being completely orphaned from its parent route. Despite this, the route is still designated Business MD 3 as recently as 2011.
Route 3 runs from the US 50/US 301 interchange (the western end of the US 50/301 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...
) to an interchange with Interstate 97. Business MD 3 begins 9 miles (14.5 km) north of MD 3's northern terminus along Interstate 97 and runs through Glen Burnie.
Junction list
| County | Location | Mile |
Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prince George's Prince George's County, Maryland Prince George's County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland, immediately north, east, and south of Washington, DC. As of 2010, it has a population of 863,420 and is the wealthiest African-American majority county in the nation.... |
Bowie Bowie, Maryland Bowie is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 54,727 at the 2010 census. Bowie has grown from a small railroad stop to the largest municipality in Prince George's County, and the fifth most populous city and third largest city by area in the state of... |
0.0 | – Washington D.C., 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... , Bay Bridge Chesapeake Bay Bridge The Chesapeake Bay Bridge is a major dual-span bridge in the U.S. state of Maryland. Spanning the Chesapeake Bay, it connects the state's rural Eastern Shore region with the more urban Western Shore. The original span opened in 1952 and, at the time, with a length of , it was the world's longest... |
Southern terminus of MD 3; road continues as US 301 south |
| 2.2 | Former route of US 50; south end of MD 3/MD 450 overlap | |||
| 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... |
2.7 | Former route of US 50; north end of MD 3/MD 450 overlap | ||
| Crofton Crofton, Maryland Crofton is a census-designated place and planned community in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. Established in 1964, Crofton held its 40th birthday celebration in 2004.... |
4.7 | |||
| Millersville Millersville, Maryland Millersville is an unincorporated community in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States.-Geography:Millersville is located at .-History:... |
8.1 | |||
| 8.9 | Grade-separated interchange between routes | |||
| 9.6 | Northbound entrance and southbound exit; northern terminus of MD 3 |
Maryland Route 3 Business
Maryland Route 3 Business is a 5.1 miles (8.2 km) thoroughfare through Glen Burnie, MarylandGlen 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 is the northernmost part of the Robert Crain Highway. Maryland Business 3 starts at the Governor Ritchie Highway (Maryland Route 2
Maryland Route 2
Maryland Route 2 is the longest state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The route runs from Solomons Island in Calvert County north to an intersection with U.S. Route 1 and U.S. Route 40 Truck in Baltimore...
) and continues south into Southgate and then ends officially at 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...
where it becomes New Cut Road and the Business Route 3 designation is discontinued. Business Route 3 is the only Maryland state highway that no longer connects with its parent route. The reason behind that is because its parent route, Maryland Route 3, used to have the right of way where 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...
currently is. Now MD 3 ends 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Business Route 3's junction with Interstate 97. Robert Crain Highway is also the names of Maryland Route 3 between Millersville
Millersville, Maryland
Millersville is an unincorporated community in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States.-Geography:Millersville is located at .-History:...
and Bowie
Bowie, Maryland
Bowie is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 54,727 at the 2010 census. Bowie has grown from a small railroad stop to the largest municipality in Prince George's County, and the fifth most populous city and third largest city by area in the state of...
and after Route 3 terminates at 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...
in Bowie, southbound US 301 continues as that name until it reaches the Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge
Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge
The Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge is a , two-lane continuous truss bridge that spans the Potomac River between Newburg in Charles County, Maryland and Dahlgren in King George County, Virginia, USA....
that crosses the Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
into Dahlgren
Dahlgren, Virginia
Dahlgren is a census-designated place in King George County, Virginia, United States. The population was 997 at the 2000 census. The community is located within the Northern Neck George Washington Birthplace American Viticultural Area winemaking appellation established by the United States...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
.