Had I-95 been completed through Washington, DC along the current I-395 routing and northeastward, it would have come in here to merge with the current route. As it is, the ramp from I-495 EB (clockwise) to I-95 (picture 1) is two lanes, with a third merge lane from the truck weigh station to the south (which is only there because there were ramps to nowhere), but it could easily hold at least one and maybe two more lanes, as planned I-95 would have given it. By the second photo, the extra space has migrated over to the right, where the "real" I-95 merges in from I-495 WB (counter-clockwise). The ramps from 495 probably would each have been one lane in the build-all scenario, but we'll never know that.


I snuck into the weigh station for these photos. The first looks north at the mostly-empty bridge that would have taken I-95 SB over I-495 EB but now just takes traffic to Exit 25 via the original loop ramp. The others are on the NB side of the unbuilt mainline, with an Exit 27 ramp sign that was originally set up for just I-495.


Not only are the signs original, but so are the supports - the flared box section spanning the highway is the only thing like it I've ever seen, while the bent-arm spans are reminiscent of those in Connecticut. The smiley drum on the ICC sign needs a name to go along with Frédéric Laflèche in Québec. I will call him... Donald Drum. All rights reserved.


Closeups of the Exit 29 signs on those stylish gantries.


Construction of MD 200 and its future interchange with I-95.


The ICC is even more interesting as it's about to open. These photos mix October 2011 (pre-opening) with December 2011 (newly opened to I-95). Exit 31A at that time went nowhere - it was a forced U-turn halfway to Virginia Manor Rd. unless you were a maintenance vehicle (technically - not well enforced, though). That's why the permanent BGS was covered with a little LGS standing in. Advance signs are confusing, in that while MD 200 does accept E-ZPass, you're allowed to use it even if you don't have an account, at the cost of extra fees for license plate photo billing.


The signs were redone by 2014, pending the opening of all of the interchange ramps along the C-D road. The ampersand came off to reveal a "32", the WEST came off completely, and the middle greenout is now Konterra Dr.


Looking west at the then-beginning of MD 200. That WB sign is only useful for aforementioned U-turning traffic.


Besides having the new advance signs uncovered instead of covered, there was only one other noticeable difference between my October and December photos. If you look at the end of the run above, you'll see an Exit 31B gore sign with a white "TOLL" banner. This one correctly has yellow, so that's the resident engineer doing his job to maintain standards. Also, there was no need for barricades when there was no traffic yet on the C-D road, but now vehicles have to be forced onto the loop ramp.


The future C-D road for Exit 33 will leave I-95 halfway through the ICC interchange. The ICC EB flyover ramp merges straight into I-95 (there's a loop connection for C-D traffic), and the WB ramp merges into the C-D road only, which will tie into the existing lanes at Exit 33 (MD 198). Along the way, there will be a new Exit 32 at Van Dusen Rd., which is probably what the right sign in the last photo is for. For now, the C-D road stubs out just beyond those signs and the industrial-sized controller boxes. (Can those really be just for sign lighting? They could power a small village.)


Onto the C-D road in 2014, Exit 31A will lead to MD 200 EB ("East Toll 200 E-ZPass No Cash"), which doesn't go much farther before ending ("To US 1").


Here's future Exit 32 for Konterra Dr. (formerly Contee Dr.) and all of its hidden signs, starting at the MD 200 EB direct ramp to I-95 NB. The merge from MD 200 WB is closed off in case... in case what? This opened 2 months after my visit, in November 2014.


The future Exit 32 acceleration lane is still south of Mile 32, and the term "C-D" is formalized.


Apparently, Baltimore moved in the last half-century by at least a mile (or, since they patched both digits, maybe at least four miles?). This is the first mention of New York City on I-95 at least as far back as the I-295 merge north of Richmond, so unless there's one there, it's the farthest south of all, and only there for the DC-NYC commuters.


One of these signs is not like the other, and it's the one with a real MD SR shield (i.e. has the state name inside). I use a lot of parentheses, don't I? Of note is how far north the MD Welcome Center is - I don't see why it's that much worse to have one on each entrance of I-495, because after you've been in Maryland for half an hour you're less likely to need to be introduced to it. Or, after a half hour, you'll want to run into a tree at high speed, especially if it's rush hour.


From newer signs at MD 216 (but not for the rest area), under Gorman Rd., and into the rest area for two unique signs on the entrance ramp. Sure, none of these services are provided here at the rest area, but how does it help anyone to say that you just passed the previous useful exit at Laurel? Anyway, it's old, so it's here.


And Papa Bear's Sign was Too Large, but Baby Bear's Sign was Just Right. No optical tricks used here. Or anywhere else on the site, for that matter. You can breathe easier now.


There is another sign before this one telling you how much shorter the Harbor Tunnel Freeway (I-895) is. This is the beginning of the route, though there is a SPUR I-895 leading to I-97 and MD 2 (it's only signed to I-895 and 97 though, depending on direction, no SPUR signage).


Older signs mingling with the newer, as well as another (button copy!) ampersand appearing on a Maryland BGS. On the first sign, you can see the outline of where MD 166 was on top and I-195 did not exist.

Continue north on I-95 NB
Over to the SB side
Onto I-495 and I-95/495
Back to I-95 main page

Exit 29 to MD 212
Exit 31 to MD 200 (Intercounty Connector)
Exit 33 to MD 198
Exit 43 to MD 100
Exit 46 to I-895
Exit 47 to I-195
Exit 49 to I-695
Exit 49B to I-70
Exit 49B to I-83
Back to Maryland Roads
Back to Roads