Maryland Route 537
Encyclopedia
Maryland Route 537 is an unsigned state highway in Cecil County
, Maryland
running through Chesapeake City
. The highway is divided into three segments, all of which are designated with a lettered suffix. A piece of Maryland 537 begins as a branch from Maryland 284
in Chesapeake City, continuing as Lock Street southward through the city past Maryland 285
, and stopping at Bank Street and the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal
. Across the canal, the route picks up again in the same direction as George Street, crossing Maryland 286
, and then ending at the Augustine Herman Highway (Maryland 213
). Maryland Route 537 used to cross MD 213 and parallel it along Basil Road before rejoining it; however, this section has been removed from the state highway system.
Maryland 537 is the original route of Maryland 213 through Chesapeake City, which was diverted when a different site was found for a high bridge across the canal. The current bridge on Maryland 213 was opened in 1949 after the earlier vertical lift bridge connecting George Street with Lock Street was destroyed in an accident with the tanker Franz Klasen in 1942.
for its entire length. At the interchange with Route 213 (as it approached the Chesapeake City Bridge
) in Chesapeake City, the 537A designation ended, and the highway currently continues as Maryland Route 537D.
Maryland Route 537D, after the off-ramp from Maryland 213, continues the right-of-way of Basil Avenue and heads under the Chesapeake City Bridge, which towers above. A short distance after the bridge, Route 537D terminates at an intersection Route 537C (George Street), another segment of Maryland Route 537.
. After that intersection, the highway heads into the downtown part of the city. It intersects with 4th Street, a one-way highway and provides as the eastern terminus of Maryland Route 286
, locally known as 2nd Street. A short distance after the intersection with Route 286, Route 537C terminates at the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal.
Across the canal, Lock Street begins at the location of the former locks along the Canal in Chesapeake City. The locally street, designated as Maryland Route 537B heads northward through the residential district and terminates at Maryland Route 285
(Lock Street and Biddle Street) in Chesapeake City.
Cecil County, Maryland
Cecil County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is part of the Delaware Valley. It was named for Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore , who was the first Proprietary Governor of the colony of Maryland from 1632 until his death in 1675. The county seat is Elkton. The newspaper...
, 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...
running through Chesapeake City
Chesapeake City, Maryland
Chesapeake City is a town in Cecil County, Maryland, United States. The population was 787 at the 2000 census.The town was originally named by Bohemian colonist Augustine Herman the Village of Bohemia , but the name was changed in 1839 when the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal was built...
. The highway is divided into three segments, all of which are designated with a lettered suffix. A piece of Maryland 537 begins as a branch from Maryland 284
Maryland Route 284
Maryland Route 284 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Hemphill Street, the state highway runs between two intersections with MD 285 in Chesapeake City in southern Cecil County. MD 284 was paved in the mid 1910s as part of the original state road between Cecilton and...
in Chesapeake City, continuing as Lock Street southward through the city past Maryland 285
Maryland Route 285
Maryland Route 285 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The state highway runs from MD 213 east to the Delaware state line within Chesapeake City. MD 285 roughly parallels the north side of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal in southern Cecil County. The state highway was paved...
, and stopping at Bank Street and the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal
Chesapeake and Delaware Canal
The Chesapeake and Delaware Canal is a 14-mile long, 450-foot wide and 40-foot deep ship canal that cuts across the states of Maryland and Delaware, in the United States. It connects the waters of the Delaware River with those of the Chesapeake Bay and the Port of Baltimore...
. Across the canal, the route picks up again in the same direction as George Street, crossing Maryland 286
Maryland Route 286
Maryland Route 286 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known for most of its length as Bethel Road, the state highway runs from George Street, which is one of the segments of unsigned Maryland Route 537, east within Chesapeake City to the Delaware state line, where the highway...
, and then ending at the Augustine Herman Highway (Maryland 213
Maryland Route 213
Maryland Route 213 is a state highway located on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in the United States. The route runs from Maryland Route 662 in Wye Mills, Queen Anne's County north to the Pennsylvania border in Cecil County, where it continues into that state as Pennsylvania Route 841...
). Maryland Route 537 used to cross MD 213 and parallel it along Basil Road before rejoining it; however, this section has been removed from the state highway system.
Maryland 537 is the original route of Maryland 213 through Chesapeake City, which was diverted when a different site was found for a high bridge across the canal. The current bridge on Maryland 213 was opened in 1949 after the earlier vertical lift bridge connecting George Street with Lock Street was destroyed in an accident with the tanker Franz Klasen in 1942.
Route description
MD 537A and D
Originally, Maryland Route 537 extended down to near the Chesapeake City city limits along Route 537A. The highway began at an intersection with Maryland Route 213 in Chesapeake City. The highway went northward along Basil Avenue, paralleling the Chesapeake and Delaware CanalChesapeake and Delaware Canal
The Chesapeake and Delaware Canal is a 14-mile long, 450-foot wide and 40-foot deep ship canal that cuts across the states of Maryland and Delaware, in the United States. It connects the waters of the Delaware River with those of the Chesapeake Bay and the Port of Baltimore...
for its entire length. At the interchange with Route 213 (as it approached the Chesapeake City Bridge
Chesapeake City Bridge
The Chesapeake City Bridge carries Maryland Route 213 across the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal in Chesapeake City, Maryland. There are two undivided traffic lanes and one sidewalk on the east side of the bridge. It was built in 1949 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to provide a high-level canal...
) in Chesapeake City, the 537A designation ended, and the highway currently continues as Maryland Route 537D.
Maryland Route 537D, after the off-ramp from Maryland 213, continues the right-of-way of Basil Avenue and heads under the Chesapeake City Bridge, which towers above. A short distance after the bridge, Route 537D terminates at an intersection Route 537C (George Street), another segment of Maryland Route 537.
MD 537B and C
Maryland Route 537C begins at the same interchange where Maryland Route 537D had begun to the west. The highway progresses to the northeast along George Street, paralleling to the east of Maryland Route 213. After a short distance, the highway enters the city and intersects with the northern terminus of Maryland Route 537D. The highway continues to the northeast, intersects with the northern terminus of Maryland Route 342Maryland Route 342
Maryland Route 342 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as St. Augustine Road, the state highway runs from MD 310 in St. Augustine north to George Street, which is one of the segments of unsigned Maryland Route 537, in Chesapeake City in southern Cecil County...
. After that intersection, the highway heads into the downtown part of the city. It intersects with 4th Street, a one-way highway and provides as the eastern terminus of Maryland Route 286
Maryland Route 286
Maryland Route 286 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known for most of its length as Bethel Road, the state highway runs from George Street, which is one of the segments of unsigned Maryland Route 537, east within Chesapeake City to the Delaware state line, where the highway...
, locally known as 2nd Street. A short distance after the intersection with Route 286, Route 537C terminates at the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal.
Across the canal, Lock Street begins at the location of the former locks along the Canal in Chesapeake City. The locally street, designated as Maryland Route 537B heads northward through the residential district and terminates at Maryland Route 285
Maryland Route 285
Maryland Route 285 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The state highway runs from MD 213 east to the Delaware state line within Chesapeake City. MD 285 roughly parallels the north side of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal in southern Cecil County. The state highway was paved...
(Lock Street and Biddle Street) in Chesapeake City.
History
When Maryland's state highway system was created, the alignment of Maryland Route 537B and Maryland Route 537C, along with nearby Route 285, was originally an alignment of U.S. Route 213. The bridge over the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, which carried the alignment of U.S. Route 213, was destroyed when a tanker, Franz Klasen, collided with it in 1942. U.S. Route 213 was kept on the alignment for seven years, until 1949, when the current-day Chesapeake City Bridge was constructed and Route 213 was realigned onto it. The highway was later re-designated as Maryland Routes 537B and 537C.MD 537A
MD 537B
MD 537C
MD 537D
See also
- Chesapeake City Website with a photo of the destruction of the Route 213 bridge.