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U.S. Route 40 west - Delaware line to east Baltimore
After 17 miles in far-northern Delaware, U.S. Route 40 (Pulaski Highway) approaches a signal at Chesapeake Boulevard (left) and Automotive Boulevard (right) as it makes its way into Maryland. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
There is a Maryland welcome sign in the highway's median. US 40 enters the state in the Elkton area of Cecil County. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
Automotive Boulevard, at right, appropriately leads into a complex of car dealerships. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
Next, the highway approaches northbound Maryland Route 781 (Delancy Road). Photo taken 03-24-2024.
MD 781 goes north to Maryland Route 281 (Red Hill Road), passing by the Elkton Terrace subdivision while at it. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
After MD 781 comes a US 40 reassurance shield, the first westbound one in Maryland. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
The speed limit right now is 55 miles per hour. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
There is then a sign warning slower traffic to stay in the right lane per Maryland law. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
Melbourne Boulevard is intersected at the next signal. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
Next, US 40 intersects the first of five total segments of Maryland Route 7: Delaware Avenue, officially designated Maryland Route 7D. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
Downtown Elkton and the Union Memorial Hospital are west on MD 7D. Elkton's status as Cecil County's seat affords it the privilege of hosting the county's circuit and district courts, which are located in the same direction from this junction. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
While MD 7D is the State Highway Administration's internal designation for the portion of MD 7 that covers Delaware Avenue and a portion of Elkton's Main Street, it is not marked with its suffix in the field, nor are the three other suffixed sections of the route (A, B and C). Photo taken 03-24-2024.
More US 40 reassurance follows Delaware Avenue. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
Subsequently, there is a set of flashers at an intersection with Wilson Avenue. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
The route now eases toward the right. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
Next, the highway comes across a signal for the Singerly Fire Department. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
Up ahead, the speed limit drops to 45. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
This leads to a traffic signal at Whitehall Road, a connection between MD 213 to the southwest and Delaware Avenue. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
The speed limit remains 45 past Whitehall. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
The next light is at the Big Elk Shopping Centre entrance. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
US 40 then approaches its junction with Maryland Route 213, which goes south to Chesapeake City and north into downtown Elkton. Overall, MD 213, numbered after the defunct U.S. Route 213, runs 68 miles between Wye Mills in Queen Anne's County (near the Talbot County line), and the Pennsylvania line north of Fair Hill, continuing into that state as Pennsylvania Route 841. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
MD 213 is known as Augustine Herman Highway southbound and Bridge Street northbound. This is the historic northern terminus of US 213; the original designation north of here was Maryland Route 280. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
Past MD 213, the speed limit remains 45. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
There next comes a bridge over the Big Elk Creek, one of two sources of the nearby Elk River. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
North East, Havre de Grace and Baltimore are 7, 17 and 52 miles from here. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
Landing Lane, intersected at the following signal, runs between West Main Street to the north, and Fort Hollingsworth at the split of the Elk River into its two sources. Via Oldfield Point Road, Landing Lane links US 40 with the Elk River side of Elk Neck. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
Next, the highway passes over Amtrak's Northeast Corridor. The portion of the NEC passing through Elkton is part of an 18-mile segment (the only on the NEC) not shared with a regional commuter rail service, MARC ending in Perryville and SEPTA not going past Newark, Delaware. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
The bridge after that, just a few feet further on, goes over the Elk River's other source, the Little Elk Creek. Both Elk Creeks rise to the north in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
Another traffic signal is forthcoming, this one with a red-light indicator. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
Baltimore is marked as the control city straight ahead, and Newark to the right. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
Intersected here are Maryland Route 7C (Old Philadelphia Road) to the left, and Maryland Route 279 (Newark Avenue) to the right. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
MD 279 goes northeast to an interchange (exit 109) with I-95. MD 7C will parallel US 40 to the south for the next several miles. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
Leaving that junction behind, there is a US 40 reassurance shield, and there was also a construction zone and local detour through here when these photos were taken. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
The speed limit, at least under normal circumstances, goes back up to 55. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
North East and Baltimore are now 5 and 50 miles away. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
A traffic signal was being erected here, at Nottingham Road, at the time. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
Thiokol Road is intersected next. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
Thiokol Road leads into a Northrop Grumman property. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
A distance after that intersection sits a median crossover. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
The highway reaches a hillcrest, then proceeds sharply downward. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
Nearing the bottom of the hill, the route will then have a steep climb back upward. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
The highway passes a mobile home park entrance at right while going uphill. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
The elevation levels off for the time being, but another, small hill is visible in the distance. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
At that hillcrest, US 40 nears Marley Road as well as another crossover. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
Marley Road, at right, runs northeast to a dead end beyond Laurel Run, crossing paths with Nottingham Road in the process. Before it ends, it intersects Deaver Road which links it with Leeds Road to the north. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
The road eases downward, then flattens out again. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
It then reaches the aforementioned crossover, which is set up as a "superstreet" whereby each carriageway has a leftward positioning into and within the crossover. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
A traffic signal at Mechanics Valley Road is coming up. This is indicative of US 40's approach to North East. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
For right now, the posted speed limit is still 55. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
Mechanics Valley Road runs between MD 7C (known as Cecil Avenue within North East) and a triangular intersection with Nottingham Road and Union Church Road. Photo taken 03-24-2024.
US 40 now pulls away from Mechanics Valley, goes slightly downward and prepares to curve to the left. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
The highway proceeds to cross the Little North East Creek. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
Just to the west, there is then a bridge over the main North East Creek (spelled "Northeast" here). Photo taken 10-24-2023.
A variable message sign in the median after those bridges displays the distance and time to the Maryland Route 22 interchange in the Aberdeen area of Harford County. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
US 40 now approaches its junction with Maryland Route 272 (North East Road), which goes northward a couple of miles to an interchange with Interstate 95. MD 272 south is also one access point to the Charlestown area to the west. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
MD 272 goes south into downtown North East, and north to Bayview and the Cecil College just north of I-95. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
At the signal, MD 272 north is noted with an I-95 marker. In all, MD 272 runs just over 20 miles between Turkey Point on the lower Elk Neck to the Pennsylvania line, then continues as Pennsylvania Route 272 nearly another 55 miles via Lancaster to Brecknock Township, Berks County. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
On that note, US 40 pushes west out of North East, speed limit still 55 miles per hour. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
Behind the impeding tree branches, the green sign at right states Havre de Grace, Aberdeen and Baltimore as being 10, 15 and 45 miles away. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
The highway approaches a crossroads with Wells Camp Road. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
Following that is a traffic signal at Red Toad Road. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
Red Toad Road begins just to the south at MD 7C and goes northwest to Post Road between Rising Sun and Port Deposit. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
Up ahead, just past a crossing of a tributary of the North East River (in essence, the tidal portion of the North East Creek), is the entrance to the Charlestown Crossing apartments. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
Then, at right, the route intersects Principio Parkway, which leads north to one of the numerous warehouses that have been constructed along Cecil County's portion of the US 40 corridor since the mid-2010s. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
The route goes slightly downhill afterward. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
It then goes back uphill and approaches another traffic signal. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
The facility intersected at this next signal is Principio Parkway, which primarily serves as access to one of a growing number of Amazon warehouses in Maryland. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
US 40 is now approaching the west end of MD 7C, which goes back east into Charlestown; Perryville is marked straight on US 40 west. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
A route marker in the median points to MD 7C. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
The highway then comes up on a signal at Principio Furnace Road (left) and Belvidere Road (right). Principio Furnace leads into Maryland Route 7B. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
After that, there is a sign stating a phone number to arrange an escort over the forthcoming Hatem Bridge. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
Havre de Grace, Aberdeen and Baltimore are now 5, 9 and 40 miles away. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
Intersected next is Jackson Station Road. A right turn at this intersection also leads to Winch Road. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
The intersection is at the top of a hill. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
The route now dips downward and approaches Simmons Lane. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
Chesapeake Landing Drive, intersected at left, leads into another residential development. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
Next, Mill Creek Road and Cedar Corner Road intersect US 40 down the road from each other, with Mill Creek itself in between. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
A weigh station preceding the Hatem Bridge is located in one mile. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
At this point the speed limit drops to 50 miles per hour. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
US 40 now enters Perryville, the last of the three towns it traverses in Cecil County. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
Coudon Boulevard, intersected at a signal ahead, leads to Ikea Road and a Perry Point truck entrance. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
The Coudon Boulevard signal up-close. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
Approaching the junction with Maryland Route 222 (Aiken Avenue/Perryville Road), downtown Perryville and the Perry Point Veterans' Affairs entrance are at left (south), and Port Deposit to the right (north). Photo taken 10-24-2023.
Also at right is the Hollywood Casino Perryville. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
MD 222 north also leads to I-95 at exit 93, and the entire route links Perryville with U.S. Route 1 at the north end of the Conowingo Dam. It used to be an extension of U.S. Route 222, which now does not go past Conowingo. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
US 40 now reaches the Hatem Bridge weigh station, which was closed when these photos were taken. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
The Thomas J. Hatem Memorial Bridge carries US 40 over the Susquehanna River between Perryville and Havre de Grace. As with I-95's Tydings Bridge, the Hatem Bridge is tolled going east, but is free to cross going west. Its status as a partially-tolled facility means it is maintained by the Maryland Transportation Authority. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
The highway has begun its crossing. Not far downstream of here, the Susquehanna reaches its mouth at the top of the Chesapeake Bay. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
Midway through, the bridge passes over Garrett Island. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
Back over the Susquehanna proper, US 40 leaves Cecil County for Harford County. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
A slight descent occurs as the bridge nears its end. Beforehand, it crosses over Havre de Grace's Superior Street. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
The Hatem Bridge ends, and US 40 earnestly enters Havre de Grace. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
A set of yellow flashers hangs over the route's partial intersection with Erie Street. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
US 40 now comes up on its junction with Maryland Route 155 (Ohio Street, and shortly Level Road). A left turn here takes one to Havre de Grace's historic landmarks, constituting among other things its museums and promenade boardwalk. A right turn leads to Susquehanna State Park and the Steppingstone Farm Museum via Lapidum Road. From this intersection, MD 155 runs nine miles westward to MD 22 at Churchville. Meanwhile, 90 degrees across from Ohio Street intersected at the same signal is Otsego Street. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
A US 40 reassurance shield follows the MD 155 signal. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
The highway's junction with Maryland Route 7A (again, here listed as just MD 7) is just over a mile ahead. Aberdeen is in 3 miles, and Baltimore in 34. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
The next signal is at Lewis Lane, a separate entity from Lewis Street in downtown Havre de Grace. To the right, Lewis Lane winds through a residential area, eventually ending up back north at Ontario Street via Grace Manor Drive. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
A moderate swath of trees and median crossover surround the highway between intersections. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
US 40 curves wide right as a MD 7 junction marker announces the forthcoming intersection. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
MD 7A runs east from here to Union Avenue on Revolution Street, then on Union north to St. John Street. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
There is US 40 reassurance following Revolution Street, and the highway is now oriented slightly more east-west. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
The speed limit through here is 55. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
Leaving Havre de Grace, US 40 crosses over Gasheys Creek. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
The route intersects Blenheim Lane, a technically private road running through the Bulle Rock golf course, then crosses another small stream. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
Then, US 40 approaches separate traffic signals at Maryland Route 132B (Oakington Road) and Robin Hood Road. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
Swan Harbor Farm, a bayside event venue, is left on Oakington, back over Gasheys Creek to a left on Timber Lane. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
The Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation is also left at the first signal. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
After Oakington Road, Robin Hood Road goes off to the right toward Chapel Road, where it becomes Earlton Road headed back north toward MD 155. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
The route then crosses Swan Creek. Originating a distance north of Aberdeen, it becomes tidal two and a half miles downstream and empties into the Chesapeake. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
Half a mile away sits an exit ramp to westbound Maryland Route 22, leading to I-95, Churchville, and Harford County seat Bel Air. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
Ripken Stadium, home of minor league baseball's Aberdeen IronBirds, located on the northwest side of Aberdeen beside I-95, is accessible from this exit. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
Before reaching MD 22, US 40 intersects one of three disconnected segments of Beards Hill Road, this one serving residential developments of Aberdeen's east. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
The speed limit drops to 40 miles per hour as the highway approaches Aberdeen's corporate limits. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
I-95 and MD 22 markers immediately precede the ramp from US 40 west to MD 22 west. Photo taken 10-24-2023.
The ramp to MD 22 west is at right. In its current routing within Aberdeen's corporate limits, MD 22 is known as the Aberdeen Thruway from the APG gate to Long Drive (the entry to Ripken Stadium) just west of I-95. As of February 2024, MD 22 in this direction also leads to the Upper Chesapeake Medical Center Aberdeen, which replaced Havre de Grace's Harford Memorial Hospital. Photo taken 02-18-2024.
A high bridge carries MD 22 over US 40, which curves to the left just ahead as it earnestly enters Aberdeen. Photo taken 02-18-2024.
Access to MD 22 east, billed as toward APG, follows. From US 40 west, it is exclusively via Rogers Street, one of Aberdeen's east-west side streets along which the fire station and police department are located, while US 40 east has its own ramp straight to MD 22 east and also gives drivers the option to use the Rogers Street ramp. Photo taken 02-18-2024.
US 40's speed limit drops to 30 MPH, and it now nears a junction with what SHA considers the main segment of Maryland Route 132, Aberdeen's de facto main street. Photo taken 02-18-2024.
The entrance to Aberdeen's Amtrak and MARC train station is just past the MD 132 signal. Photo taken 02-18-2024.
MD 132 (West Bel Air Avenue) used to have a direct crossing of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor just to the left; in the 1980s, it was replaced with a pedestrian walkway over the tracks. The now-severed East Bel Air Avenue represents its former path through Aberdeen's south side and out to MD 22 just shy of the APG gate. To the left, APG Boulevard has its own bridge over the NEC, then curves sharp-left before reaching a separate and now-closed APG gate beside the Swan Meadows subdivision. Photo taken 02-18-2024.