U.S. Route 50 (US 50) (also called Ocean Gateway) is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching just over from West Sacramento, California, east to Ocean City, Maryland, on the Atlantic Ocean. In the state of Maryland, US 50 exists in two sections. The longer of these serves as a major route connecting Washington, DC, with Ocean City, which is the eastern terminus of the highway. The other section passes through the southern end of Garrett County for less than as part of the Northwestern Turnpike, entering West Virginia at both ends. One notable section of US 50 is the dual-span Chesapeake Bay Bridge across the Chesapeake Bay, which links the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area with the Eastern Shore region, allowing motorists to reach Ocean City and the Delaware Beaches.
US 50 has received numerous upgrades during its existence in Maryland, including the construction of the John Hanson Highway, a portion of which is also the unsigned Interstate 595 (I-595), its extension onto the Eastern Shore and replacement of US 213 due to the construction of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, and the full conversion of the eastern segment of the route into a four-lane divided highway. Many of the older alignments of US 50 are still part of the Maryland and US highway systems, such as US 50 Business (US 50 Bus.) in Salisbury. US 50 continues to be upgraded on the Eastern Shore.
Route description
US 50 has two segments located in the state of Maryland totaling . The western segment is a two-lane undivided road through rural mountain areas in Garrett County, heading into West Virginia at both ends. The eastern segment runs between the Washington, DC, border in Prince George's County and the eastern terminus of the route at MD 528 and MD 378 in Ocean City as a multilane divided highway with some freeway segments. Between Washington, DC, and Annapolis, US 50 follows a freeway called the John Hanson Highway, which is designated as unsigned I-595 between the interchanges with I-95/I-495 (the Capital Beltway) in New Carrollton and MD 70 in Annapolis. In Bowie, US 301 becomes concurrent with US 50 and unsigned I-595. East of Annapolis, US 50/US 301 continue east along a freeway called the Blue Star Memorial Highway. The two routes pass over the Chesapeake Bay on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, linking the Western Shore and the Eastern Shore regions. After the bridge, US 50/US 301 head east across Kent Island before the freeway ends and the two routes split in Queenstown. From here, US 50 becomes an at-grade divided highway called Ocean Gateway and runs through rural areas of the Eastern Shore, heading south through Easton to Cambridge. The route turns southeast in Cambridge and continues through more rural land to Salisbury, which it bypasses to the north on a freeway called the Salisbury Bypass, a bypass road partly shared with US 13. Past Salisbury, US 50 becomes an at-grade divided highway again and continues east along the Ocean Gateway to Ocean City.
US 50 serves as the main route between the Baltimore–Washington Metropolitan Area and the Eastern Shore, providing access to Ocean City and, by way of MD 404 and Delaware Route 404 (DE 404), the Delaware Beaches. As such, the route experiences heavy traffic in the summer months, with major congestion points including the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge over the Severn River in Annapolis, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge toll plaza, Easton, Cambridge, and the few miles leading into Ocean City. The peak travel periods in the summer are eastbound on Friday evenings, both directions on Saturday afternoons, and westbound on Sunday afternoons. The route is also a designated hurricane evacuation route out of Ocean City. US 50 in Maryland is a part of the main National Highway System between the Washington, DC border and the eastern terminus in Ocean City.
US 50/I-595 has a high-occupancy vehicle lane (HOV lane) for carpools with 2 or more persons in each direction from west of I-95/I-495 to east of US 301, a distance of . Unlike other HOV lanes in the Washington metropolitan area, which are only restricted during rush hours, the HOV lanes on US 50/I-595 are restricted at all times.
Garrett County
US 50 leaves Preston County in West Virginia and enters the state of Maryland in Garrett County. US 50 is routed along the old Northwestern Turnpike, presently named George Washington Highway after George Washington. The route heads southeast from the state line as a two-lane undivided road that passes through a mix of farmland and woods with some homes. The road curves east before it turns back to the southeast and comes to an intersection with US 219 in Redhouse. Past this intersection, US 50 runs through more farm fields before it heads into forests and ascends Backbone Mountain, turning northeast. The route passes some development at the summit, which is the highest point in the Maryland state highway system at an elevation of , before it descends the mountain, curving to the east. The road heads through forested areas with a few homes before passing fields. The route runs southeast through more woods and makes a sharp turn to the north. US 50 reaches an intersection with the southern terminus of MD 560 in Gorman and turns east to come to a bridge over CSX's Thomas Subdivision railroad line and the North Branch Potomac River. At this point, US 50 leaves Maryland and heads back into West Virginia at Gormania.
Prince George's County
US 50 passes through West Virginia, Virginia, and Washington, DC, before it crosses back into Maryland at the eastern border of Washington, DC From here, the route continues west into Washington, DC, as New York Avenue. From the Washington, DC, border, US 50 heads into Prince George's County as the John Hanson Highway, a six-lane freeway. The road soon intersects the southern terminus of the Baltimore–Washington Parkway (unsigned MD 295) and MD 201 (which heads south to the Washington, DC, border and becomes District of Columbia Route 295) at a hybrid interchange with a full cloverleaf and partial-Y elements. Following this, the US 50 freeway narrows to four lanes and heads east, running between MD 459 and an industrial area to the north and Amtrak's Northeast Corridor railroad line to the south and passing under the Alexandria Extension of CSX's Capital Subdivision railroad line. The road enters Cheverly and comes to an interchange with the southern terminus of MD 459 and Columbia Park Road that provides access to the Cheverly station along Washington Metro's Orange Line to the south; this interchange does not have a westbound exit. Past this interchange, the route curves northeast and runs between residential neighborhoods to the northwest and the Northeast Corridor and Orange Line tracks to the southeast. The freeway leaves Cheverly and comes to the MD 202 exit, which is a combination of partial cloverleaf and trumpet interchanges. US 50 continues through suburban areas alongside the railroad tracks, passing near the Landover station along the Orange Line that can be accessed from MD 202. The road heads through a section of Landover Hills and widens to six lanes, reaching a diamond interchange with MD 410. Past this interchange, the freeway turns east and passes over Amtrak's Northeast Corridor and Washington Metro's Orange Line. The route comes to an interchange with Garden City Drive (MD 950) and Ardwick Ardmore Road (US 50PA) that provides access to the New Carrollton station serving Amtrak trains, MARC's Penn Line, and the terminus of Washington Metro's Orange Line to the north of the road; this interchange does not have an eastbound exit. Following this interchange, US 50 passes office parks and industrial development in New Carrollton. The highway reaches a hybrid turbine interchange with I-95/I-495, the Capital Beltway.
At the I-95/I-495 interchange, the US 50 freeway becomes part of the Interstate Highway System as I-595, which is an unsigned highway. The road heads east as a ten-lane freeway, with the left lane in each direction designated as a HOV lane for carpools with 2 or more persons that is in operation 24 hours a day. The freeway passes near residential development and comes to a partial cloverleaf interchange with MD 704 near Lanham. After this interchange, the highway narrows to eight lanes, with the left lanes remaining an HOV lane, and runs between commercial development to the north and housing subdivisions to the south. US 50 continues east through woodland with nearby residential areas, passing over MD 193 without an interchange. Farther east, the route runs through wooded areas with more scattered residential development, heading to the north of Freeway Airport. The road turns to the northeast and comes to a bridge over CSX's Pope's Creek Subdivision railroad line before it crosses into Bowie and reaches the MD 197 exit, which is a partial cloverleaf interchange. Past here, US 50 curves east and runs between residential neighborhoods before it comes to a modified cloverleaf interchange with US 301 and the southern terminus of MD 3. At this interchange, the HOV lanes end and US 301 heads east concurrent with US 50 and unsigned I-595 on the freeway, which narrows to six lanes. The road passes south of an industrial park before it leaves Bowie and enters woodland, coming to a bridge over the Patuxent River.
Anne Arundel County
Upon crossing the Patuxent River, US 50/US 301 and unsigned I-595 head into Anne Arundel County and continue through wooded areas with some farm fields, bending to the east-northeast. The road comes to a partial cloverleaf interchange with MD 424 to the north of Davidsonville. From here, the freeway runs through forested areas with some nearby housing developments, crossing the South River. The freeway curves to the east and heads near more dense residential development before it reaches a directional T interchange with the southern terminus of I-97, which leads north toward Baltimore. Past this interchange, the ramps leading to and from I-97 run parallel to US 50/US 301 to an interchange with the western terminus of MD 665, which runs southeast into Annapolis as a short freeway spur. From here, the highway heads into Parole and runs through a business area, coming to a partial cloverleaf interchange with MD 450, which leads into downtown Annapolis, to the south of the Annapolis Mall. The freeway soon intersects MD 2 at a partial cloverleaf interchange at Solomons Island Road. At this point, MD 2 joins US 50/US 301 and unsigned I-595 on the John Hanson Highway. The road heads northeast through wooded areas before coming to an interchange with MD 70 that serves downtown Annapolis. At this interchange, the unsigned I-595 designation ends, while US 50/US 301/MD 2 continue northeast on the John Hanson Highway.