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Interstate 695 outer loop - Key Bridge to Rosedale
***NOTE: The Key Bridge collapsed on March 26, 2024.***
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Running roughly eastward, outer loop traffic along Interstate 695 approaches the Francis Scott Key Bridge over the tidal Patapsco River. As noted by the small green sign at right, Maryland discontinued cash payments at the Key Bridge and other toll facilities in the state in 2020. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
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Exit 44 for Broening Highway, leading to the Port of Baltimore at Dundalk-Seagirt, is three miles ahead, on the other side of the bridge. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
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Meanwhile, a dynamic message sign displays the distance and travel time to the Interstate 95 interchange in the Rosedale area of Baltimore County. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
The Beltway reaches mile marker 49 (the distance decreasing counterclockwise in this direction) while a sign warns drivers of the potential for crosswinds on the bridge in windy conditions. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
The highway now proceeds past exit 42, one of three exits serving Maryland Route 151, just beyond Sparrows Point in southeastern Baltimore County. The Beltway is four lanes here. Photo taken 01-06-2022.
An inspection station for large trucks and similar vehicles is at the other end of the bridge. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
The Key Bridge now begins. The start of the bridge is marked with a "Patapsco River" sign. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
Traffic climbs upward over the Patapsco and prepares to curve to the left. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
The bridge roughly reaches its midpoint at mile marker 48.3, with a truss casing hanging over it. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
A small green sign just further along marks the highway's entry into Baltimore County, in which the bulk of the Beltway is situated. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
A speed limit sign - 55 miles per hour - is near the bridge's end. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
The bridge ends at mile marker 47.2. An overhead gantry displaying signs for exit 44 and the inspection station is also at that point. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
The entrance to the inspection station is ahead; it was closed at the time of these photos. E-ZPass administration is at the next exit. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
Exit 44 is here. Broening Highway leads northwest through south Dundalk and into east Baltimore, ending just past O'Donnell Street. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
There is I-695 reassurance as the highway leaves exit 44 behind and approaches a crossing of Bear Creek. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
The next exit, 43, serving Maryland routes 158 and 157 and the Sparrows Point industrial area, is a mile and a half from this gantry and the start of the Bear Creek viaduct. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
The Beltway begins to meander over Bear Creek, a tributary of the Patapsco along which part of Dundalk is nestled. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
North Point State Park can be accessed from MD 158, and the Dundalk campus of the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) from MD 157. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
Exit 43 sits just ahead, at mile marker 45. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
Immediately afterward comes I-695's crossing of MD 157. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
At mile marker 44.4, traffic from both MD 157 and MD 158 joins the outer loop of the Beltway. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
For a distance, I-695 will parallel MD 158, which intersects Wharf Road at a traffic signal at right. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
Just afterward, at mile marker 44.1, there is I-695 reassurance. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
The highway proceeds over a pair of CSX rail tracks; this is where MD 158 veers rightward into Edgemere. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
A ramp from North Point Boulevard (Maryland Route 151), acting as a complement to the outer-loop-only exit 42, enters at right. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
Afterward, I-695 crosses over Morse Lane and another railroad track. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
As the median widens and fills with trees, there is a sign acknowledging this as the area of the Battle of North Point of the war of 1812, although that particular battle actually occurred in the year 1814. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
Exit 41, Cove Road serving part of Dundalk and leading to MD 151, is a mile ahead and has services. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
The median narrows again, and the highway passes under Beachwood Road. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
Exit 41 is just past mile marker 41.5. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
The exit 41 gore, with big green sign and overpass ahead. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
Exit 40 is another leading to MD 151; it also serves westbound Maryland Route 150 (Eastern Boulevard) toward Highlandtown and Fells Point in east Baltimore. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
The Middle River and Chase areas, and thus Martin State Airport, can be reached through exit 36 a few miles' drive ahead. Meanwhile, Cove Road crosses over I-695 behind this sign. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
As the onramp from Cove Road merges in, exit 40 is half a mile away. Photo taken 01-06-2022.
Between exits, the eastern section of Trappe Road crosses over the Beltway. The disjoint western section runs between North Point Boulevard and Merritt Boulevard as one of Dundalk's local arterials. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
Exit 40 branches off here, exit 39 is skipped and the next exit, 38, is for MD 150 east toward Essex and eastward. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
MD 151 then passes over I-695 diagonally. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
The Beltway begins curving wide right as it again crosses over MD 151 west. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
Exit 38 is ahead on the right. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
The exit 38 gore sign. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
Within exit 38, I-695 crosses over what is marked as Merritt Boulevard, though Merritt proper ends ends to the south at MD 151 and it is actually a ramp that splits in two, one going to MD 150 east and the other to the outer loop of I-695. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
The aforementioned ramp split is seen just further along, below at right. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
The Beltway crosses over MD 150 here. The ramp from northbound Merritt Boulevard is separated from the outer loop proper by a narrow strip of concrete. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
The Interstate's next three exits - intersecting MD 702, US 40 and MD 7 - are 2½, 3¼ and 3¾ miles away respectively. Just ahead, Diamond Point Road crosses over the highway. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
Leaving Dundalk behind, I-695 now begins crossing the Back River. Essex sits on the opposite bank of the river. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
On the other side of the bridge, I-695 has its first of three east-side crossings of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor, which runs between Washington, DC and Boston and is Amtrak's most heavily-traveled passenger corridor. Also situated along this portion of the NEC is the Penn Line of Maryland's MARC commuter rail network; its north end is at Perryville in Cecil County. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
Impending is a sharp rightward curve with 45 MPH speed limit. Tractor-trailer drivers are urged to take particular caution as their vehicles will be prone to tipping. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
In the meantime, the highway passes over Chesaco Avenue. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
The midpoint of the curve is around here. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
In just over a mile, I-695 will reach exit 36, intersecting Maryland Route 702 (Southeast Boulevard) and serving roughly the eastern half of Essex. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
There is subsequently an overhead dynamic message sign displaying travel times to I-95 and the eastern leg of the exchange with I-83 south of Lutherville-Timonium. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
The highway then has its second crossing of the Northeast Corridor. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
A Maryland State Police barracks (R-Golden Ring) and commercial services are meanwhile located across each side of exit 35 up ahead. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
Exit 36, not marked as such on this overhead sign, is just ahead. MD 702, a controlled-access highway, begins as a full-fledged freeway with a partial interchange with MD 150, then has an assortment of at-grade intersections before feeding into Back River Neck Road. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
The outer loop begins to curve sharp left (conversely, the inner loop has a much lighter curve), and there is an I-695 reassurance shield opposite the exit 36 gore sign with a MD 702 shield. The outer loop also has two crossings of a non-tidal tributary of the Back River within the interchange. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
Here, the outer loop crosses over a ramp leading from MD 702 north to the inner loop. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
As the highway nears its third crossing of the Northeast Corridor (and final on the east side), there is a notation of the Essex campus of the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) being at exit 34. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
Finally, remaining MD 702 traffic comes in at left, and the outer loop expands to three lanes in each direction. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
Now entering Rosedale, I-695 reaches exit 35, intersecting U.S. Route 40 (Pulaski Highway). Exit 35B (US 40 east) is billed as toward the Harford County area of Aberdeen, while exit 35A (US 40 west) is another directly serving Baltimore interests. Meanwhile, among the services at exit 34 is the Franklin Square Hospital. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
Exit 34, intersecting Maryland Route 7 (Philadelphia Road) and directly serving Rosedale, now arrives. MD 7 is a former alignment of US 40 from before Pulaski Highway's construction. I-95 (exit 33) follows in half a mile. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
The exit 34 gore. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
Traffic from MD 7 comes on to the right. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
The outer loop's control city is now Towson, while I-95 runs between Baltimore and New York City via Wilmington, Delaware and Philadelphia. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
Designated hazardous material vehicles are prohibited in both Baltimore harbor tunnels (I-95 and I-895) and are instructed to remain on the Beltway, a detour running along the north and west sides before rejoining I-95 at the Beltway's other (southwest) interchange with it at Arbutus. Photo taken 08-28-2023.
A single ramp leads to both directions of I-95 from the outer loop; this is also the case for the respective movements from the inner loop and both directions of I-95. Photo taken 08-28-2023.