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U.S. Route 50 east/301 south - Queenstown to Bowie
The eastern merger between U.S. routes 50 and 301 occurs in Queenstown, Maryland, about 9 miles from the east end of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. The two routes will overlap for a total of about 33 miles. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
Access to Nesbit Road at exit 45B is half a mile away. There is also an emergency room that can be reached from this exit. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
Winchester Creek Road can be reached from each of the next 3 exits. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
Bay Bridge-bound drivers are instructed to remain on US 50, bypassing all local exits along the next 8½ miles. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
Exit 45B offers return access to US 50 east and can also be used to reach westbound Maryland Route 18, which is US 50's parallel local route along the Kent Narrows/Kent Island corridor. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
Exit 45B, one of the only proper freeway interchanges along US 50 east of the Bay Bridge, is the first of four exits over a two-mile span. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
The Nesbit Road overpass over US 50. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
The Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center can be reached from exit 44A. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
Meanwhile, exit 45A leads to Hissey Road straight ahead. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
The next three exits after 45A follow over 1½ miles. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
Exit 45A is the first of several right-in/right-out (RIRO) interchanges along this portion of US 50, many of which replaced traffic signals. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
Exit 44B is at Winchester Creek Road; exit 44A leads to Chester River Beach Road and the area of Grasonville. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
Exit 44B consists of a hard-right turn to Winchester Creek. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
Exit 44A, meanwhile, is at VFW Avenue. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
There is a subtle curve to the right between exits 44B and A. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
Exit 44A is located two miles from the eastern Kent Narrows exit. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
The exit 44A gore sign, typical of the RIROs along this corridor. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
Just behind mile marker 44, the AM radio frequency 1610 is displayed for travel information, particularly bridge info. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
Chester River Beach Road (spelled with a slash on this overpass) crosses at this spot. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
As the highway passes by a marsh, a lane to the far right is set aside for those wishing to exit at exit 43A at Jackson Creek Road. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
The next two exits after Jackson Creek serve each side of Kent Narrows. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
The exit 43A gore sign. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
There is then more signage reminding bridge traffic to remain on US 50 to the bridge. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
Between exits, there is a US 50/301 shield assembly which also indicates the highway's status as a hurricane evacuation route. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
Exit 42 leads to Maryland Route 18 (Main Street) and serves the east side of Kent Narrows, including the Cedar Point and Wells Cove marinas. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
Exits at Piney Narrows and Piney Creek roads are on the other side of exit 42 and the forthcoming bridge. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
A Kent Narrows sign approaching the bridge is behind a pole. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
On the other side of the narrows, exit 41 also leads to MD 18 and serves Kent Narrows West, along with the Maryland Watermens Monument. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
As a through trafficway, this bridge replaced a parallel bridge to the immediate south now used by MD 18. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
The westbound iteration of exit 41 is a cloverleaf offramp. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
After exit 41, a sign at right directs drivers bound for the Baltimore/Washington International (BWI) Airport on the opposite side of the Chesapeake to remain on US 50 to Interstate 97 west of Annapolis. This is likely the only instance of an Interstate shield on the Eastern Shore. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
At right, exit 40A services Piney Creek Road. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
Both of the next two exits, Piney Creek Road (39B) and Castle Marina Road (39A), lead to Maryland Route 552, the community of Chester and Cox Neck Road. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
The next 4 exits, up to the Bay Bridge, all serve Stevensville. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
MD 18 uses this overpass to cross US 50; it will end about two miles to the west. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
Exit 39A leads to Castle Marina Road, ¾ mile prior to exit 38A at Duke Street. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
The exit 39A gore sign. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
Annapolis, Baltimore and Washington are located a respective 16, 43 and 44 miles away. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
Services for drivers are located at exit 38A. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
After Duke Street, an interchange with MD 8 and the start of the Bay Bridge occur over the course of a mile. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
Approaching Stevensville, US 50 crosses Bay tributary the Cox Creek. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
Duke Street is the final RIRO before the bridge. The eastbound counterpart of this exit is Thompson Creek Road. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
The first of many Bay Bridge lane indicators appears prior to exit 37. The left lane of the westbound span is reversible and is switched for eastbound traffic during peak beach travel times, usually at the onset of a weekend. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
Exit 37, which intersects Maryland Route 8 (Romancoke Road) with control cities of Romancoke and Stevensville, is explicitly marked as the last exit before the bridge. Photo taken 06-04-2025.
Exit 37 contains a number of services and landmarks, including the Bay Bridge Marina and Bay Bridge Airport. Photo taken 06-04-2025.