The Casselman River Bridge, once used by the National Road/US 40, in western MD.


Two more views at that bridge, courtesy Scott Sullivan. I don't know how I missed the MD historical sign when I was there.


US 219 NB at ALT US 40, which is US 40 before I-68 was constructed. Most of western US 40 is multiplexed with I-68, and some of 68 was originally built as part of 40. Visit the link at the bottom of this page.


Again courtesy Scott Sullivan, just west of Cumberland (in fact, 6 miles west). Those are genuine 19th-century turnpike artifacts from the Cumberland Road (a.k.a. National Road - see the third photo on the page), although the stone is much more useful nowadays.


WB and EB button copy in Hagerstown.


Clearly, US 29 NB was intended to have a better destination than TO I-70, but it never made it. The whole EB sign is older, but the 1/4 MILE is a newer patch.


EB and WB where US 40 leaves Edmondson Ave. That old WB shield looks like a one-piece.


EB just after that intersection, and then Nottingham Rd. NB a block further east. Now why was I spending so much time here?


Yes, those are state-name shields. Yes, the fonts predate FHWA standards. Yes, that says... holy cow... I-70N! This is the last remnant across the nation of the suffixed routes (except I-35W/E still in existence). WB at Cooks Lane/Old Orchard Rd., which is half a block east of the Edmondson/40 split. I don't mind giving the location even if the sign comes down, because traffic looking for I-270 will just be confused until this gets replaced. But if you read this, Maryland, please save the sign for me?


US 40 EB at and onto the ramp, with an old and unique SAFE SPEED advisory sign that might even be wood. Some movements use Hilton St. instead, which is why not everything gets neat button-copy outlined shields.


US 40 WB, same spot. There's plenty more.


Hilton Pkwy. NB.


Hilton Pkwy. SB; the first signs look approximately like the NB ones above, then after an old LWS there's some outlined button copy (see the shields on 40 itself) and an old-font speed limit sign.


US 40 bears right onto Franklin St.

Baltimore shields.

See the I-170 link at bottom.


The trifecta of button copy, non-reflective background, and Jersey-style shields, westbound on the east side of Baltimore. For it to be that old and wrong, my guess is that these shields were pasted over the originals (which were likely removed), but still these could be originals.


MD 151 WB; the second sign is new (reflective background and letters), but it still has the black-background shield.


MD 151/Truck US 40 EB. The Harbor Tunnel Thruway was originally unnumbered, but by the time this sign was erected it should already have been I-895. I assume 895 was not yet in the common parlance at that point. Missing buttons and all text make the third sign a winner all around.


Westbound button copy, in Perry Hall.

Fat and eastbound.


This is the Hatem Bridge, for those people coming off I-95 who are sick of the delays over the Susquehanna (we Hatem!). While there are traffic lights at either end (and all along US 40), on holiday weekends this is the way to go to save at least half an hour. In fact, just stay on US 40 across the Delaware Memorial Bridge, and you miss out on at least two other traffic hot spots on I-95 (the Delaware border and between DE 141 and I-295). The roadway was recently divided, probably because anyone with a map uses the bridge, as do locals, so traffic has been mounting; I'm pretty sure the ROAD WORK was to do just that.

Former I-170 (current US 40)
I-68 and 68/US 40

Onto I-81
To I-70
Onto US 29
To US 1
Back to Maryland Roads
Back to Roads