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Interstate 695 inner loop - Arbutus to Towson
In the area of Arbutus, Maryland in southwestern Baltimore County, inner loop traffic on Interstate 695 (Baltimore Beltway) makes its way away from the southern of its two interchanges with Interstate 95. To the right, traffic enters the inner loop from I-95 south. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
The Beltway proceeds to pass over Benson Avenue. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
The next three exits are displayed on this overhead gantry. At exit 12 ahead are driver services including southwest Baltimore's St. Agnes hospital. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
The Beltway crosses Leeds Avenue and Southwestern Boulevard (U.S. Route 1), then Amtrak's Northeast Corridor which also carries MARC's Penn Line. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
The far-left lane ends ahead as an onramp from US 1 enters the inner loop. The outer loop has an offramp here (exit 12A). Photo taken 09-08-2024.
Wilkens Avenue (Maryland Route 372) marks exits 12B and C of I-695. This exit contains access to the University of Maryland Baltimore County and the Catonsville campus of the Community College of Baltimore County. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
Westland Boulevard crosses the Interstate before the exit. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
As the Beltway reaches exit 12B, exit 13 at Maryland Route 144 (Frederick Road) is 1½ miles away. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
The offramps to each direction of Wilkens Avenue more or less parallel each other. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
The Beltway's crossing of Wilkens is here. Wilkens Avenue links UMBC via Hilltop Road with Mount Clare just north of Carroll Park in southwest Baltimore. From Washington Boulevard to Monroe Street, it forms a portion of mainline US 1. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
Exit 12C, featuring a nearly 90-degree righthand turn, is at right. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
The inner loop receives traffic from Wilkens at mile marker 9. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
I-695's current cardinal orientation is north. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
There is another reassurance shield right afterward mentioning only the inner loop. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
Exit 13 is now a quarter of a mile away, and the next three exits fall within a span of 2¾ miles. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
Exit 13 has arrived. This is one of many disconnected segments of MD 144 stretching out to the western Maryland city of Cumberland in Allegany County, following the corridor of the old National Road before US 40 or I-70 did. This segment of the route passes through nearby Ellicott City in Howard County, including its historic district. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
The gore sign for exit 13. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
Exit 14 at Edmondson Avenue is ¼ mile away. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
Traffic from Frederick Road enters at right. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
Exit 14 sits ahead. Edmondson Avenue is one of Catonsville's main streets and continues into west Baltimore. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
The exit 14 gore sign. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
The outer loop's crossing of Edmondson Avenue is slightly higher than the inner loop's. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
Crossed next by the Beltway is Ingleside Avenue. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
Exit 15A leads to U.S. Route 40 (Baltimore National Pike) east into Baltimore. Exit 15B leads to US 40 west ad Ellicott City in half a mile. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
Exit 15A is at right. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
Exit 15B quickly follows. There is another interchange with US 40 in Rosedale east of Baltimore. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
Ahead, the inner loop receives traffic from US 40 west. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
It then comes time for I-695 reassurance again. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
Exit 16 at Interstate 70 is up ahead. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
At Crosby Road, the next three exits are displayed overhead, up to I-795 a good 5 miles away. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
At exit 16, I-695's designated control city is Towson. Both on this sign and internally, I-70, which begins in Cove Fort, Utah, has its eastern terminus in a park-and-ride lot at the Baltimore city/county line after its construction into the city to I-95 was cancelled. Eastbound signage in the area of I-70's interchange with U.S. Route 29 in Howard County, however, claims it ends at this interchange. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
The exit 16 gore sign, with I-70 shield. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
Up ahead, there is a 14 foot, 4 inch vertical clearance at exit 17. This portion of the Beltway, oriented due north, is most synonymous with its west side, notorious for congestion. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
Exit 17 to Security Boulevard (Maryland Route 122) and Woodlawn is ¼ mile away. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
In the meantime, I-695 passes under the three-level stack of ramps between it and I-70. The ramps to and from the piece of I-70 inside the Beltway are more lightly used. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
Exit 17 is here. This exit most notably serves the Social Security Adminstration, hence the name of the intersecting road. The road in turn gives its name to the area Security Square Mall. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
Traffic from both directions of I-70 merges onto the inner loop ahead. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
I-695 proceeds to pass over Security Boulevard. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
An AM radio frequency for traveler information is at right. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
The inner loop receives Security Boulevard traffic, then crosses Dogwood Road. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
The posted speed limit is 55 miles per hour. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
Advance signage soon appears for exit 18 at Maryland Route 26 (Liberty Road) toward Lochearn and Randallstown. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
Windsor Mill Road then passes over the highway. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
Exit 18A can be used to the Pimlico race course via Northern Parkway, and the Baltimore City Community College via Gwynns Falls Parkway. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
Among the services at the exit are Northwest Hospital. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
Exit 18A to Liberty Road east comes first. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
I-695 passes over MD 26 between offramps. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
Exit 18B to Liberty Road west follows. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
The inner loop receives both directions of Liberty Road at the same time. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
Exit 20 at Maryland Route 140 (Reisterstown Road) toward Pikesville and Garrison is two miles away. This gantry is missing signage for the preceding exit 19, the southern terminus of Interstate 795. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
Crossed over here is Milford Mill Road. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
The right two lanes are now set aside for I-795 toward Owings Mills and Reisterstown. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
No large trucks are allowed in the left lane of I-795. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
Exit 19, representing the northwest corner of the Beltway, is ahead. I-795 was built in the 1980s as a bypass of MD 140 through Owings Mills. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
At the beginning of exit 19, Old Court Road passes over the highway, and there is one-mile advance signage for exit 20. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
Within the interchange, the Beltway crosses the Baltimore Metro Subway. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
The inner loop's ramp to I-795 then passes overhead. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
Driver services for exit 20 are then advertised. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
Finally, the Baltimore and Hanover Railroad passes over. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
There are now two lanes reserved at right for exit 20. Photo taken 09-08-2024.
The Beltway reaches exit 20 which contains this gore sign. Photo taken 01-24-2025.
MD 140's bridge over I-695 is dedicated to former SHA engineer Earle S. "Jock" Freedman. Photo taken 01-24-2025.
The inner loop's portion of exit 21, leading to Maryland Route 129 (Park Heights Avenue), is ¾ of a mile away. A parallel road, Brooks Robinson Drive (named for the four-time American League Pennant, two-time World Series-winning, and 16-time Gold Glove third baseman for the Baltimore Orioles), runs to Stevenson Road. Photo taken 01-24-2025.
Ahead at right, the inner loop receives traffic coming from MD 140. Photo taken 01-24-2025.
Exit 21 lies ahead. MD 129 heads south into Baltimore as one of the city's northwestern thoroughfares, passing through the namesake Park Heights, Druid Hill Park (where it has a brief overlap with MD 140), and Bolton Hill, and ends as a one-way pair at US 40 near the University of Maryland Medical Center. Photo taken 01-24-2025.
The exit 21 gore sign. Photo taken 01-24-2025.
In a couple of miles, I-83 south leads toward Baltimore attractions like the Inner Harbor, stadiums and zoo. Photo taken 01-24-2025.
A variable message sign hangs between exit 21's half-interchanges. Photo taken 01-24-2025.
The Beltway goes on underneath Stevenson Road. Photo taken 01-24-2025.
At right, the inner loop then collects traffic from MD 129 and Stevenson. Photo taken 01-24-2025.
The next three exits, beginning with Greenspring Avenue, are displayed overhead soon afterward. Photo taken 01-24-2025.
Stevenson's Greenspring campus is off exit 22 ahead. Photo taken 01-24-2025.
Exit 22 (Greenspring) is half a mile ahead. This sign effectively discourages southbound large truckers from using this exit because their vehicles are not permitted within Baltimore city limits. Photo taken 01-24-2025.
The Beltway passes over Greenspring before the exit. Part of Greenspring is under SHA's responsibility as Maryland Route 130. In north Baltimore near Sinai Hospital, it is split in two by Northern Parkway from which it continues to Druid Hill Park. Photo taken 01-24-2025.
Exit 22 from each loop of the Beltway is a cloverleaf ramp. Photo taken 01-24-2025.
Exit 23A to Interstate 83 south and downtown Baltimore is a mile away. Exiting traffic has the far-right lane reserved for them. At left, the next three exits after 23A are displayed up to Charles Street, 3½ miles away. Photo taken 01-24-2025.
I-695 reassurance is given between exits. This is one of the longest gaps between exits on I-695, along with those on the west and southeast sides. Photo taken 01-24-2025.
The harbor and zoo are reiterated to be via I-83 south. Photo taken 01-24-2025.
Camden Yards, where MLB's Orioles and the NFL's Ravens play, can be reached by taking President Street from I-83's end at Fayette to Lombard to Howard. Photo taken 01-24-2025.
Exit 23A lies just ahead. I-83 inside the Beltway is known as the Jones Falls Expressway or JFX. A quarter-mile away, exit 23B leads to Maryland Route 25 (Falls Road) at a traffic signal. Photo taken 01-24-2025.
Traffic passes over the ramp from the outer loop of the Beltway to I-83 south, followed by the JFX itself. Photo taken 01-24-2025.
Exit 23B soon follows. Falls Road is the surface parallel tied to I-83 within Baltimore; the two routes have an interchange in Hampden (exit 8). Photo taken 01-24-2025.