Maryland Route 24
Encyclopedia
Maryland Route 24 (MD 24) is a state highway
in the U.S. state
of Maryland
. The state highway runs 25.17 miles (40.5 km) from an entrance to Aberdeen Proving Ground
in Edgewood
north to the Pennsylvania
state line near Fawn Grove, Pennsylvania
. MD 24 is the main north–south highway of Harford County
. The southern half of the state highway connects U.S. Route 1
(US 1) and the county seat
of Bel Air
with Aberdeen Proving Ground, US 40
, and Interstate 95
(I-95) through a suburb
an corridor. The northern half of MD 24 is a rural highway that passes through Rocks State Park
.
The original section of MD 24, which began at MD 23
in Forest Hill
and included MD 165
through Pylesville
, was constructed in the late 1910s and early 1920s. MD 24 was moved to the highway to Fawn Grove after that road was built in the late 1920s and early 1930s. The highway between US 1 in Bel Air and US 40 in Edgewood was also constructed in the late 1920s and early 1930s. The state highway from US 40 south to Aberdeen Proving Ground was constructed as MD 408 around 1930. After the road from Bel Air to Forest Hill was completed in the mid-1930s, MD 24 was extended south to Edgewood.
MD 24 received its first relocation in Edgewood in the mid 1950s after assuming all of MD 408. After another relocation due to the construction of I-95 in the early 1960s, the state highway was placed on a new alignment through Edgewood in the late 1960s and early 1970s; the old alignment became MD 755
. MD 24 was relocated to a divided highway from I-95 to US 1 in the late 1980s; the old highway through Bel Air became MD 924
. Much of the highway through Edgewood was expanded to a divided highway in the mid 1990s.
with US 1 on the Bel Air Bypass, MD 24 is known as Rock Springs Avenue from US 1 to Forest Hill, where the highway becomes Rocks Road for the remainder of its length to the Pennsylvania state line. The state highway is a part of the National Highway System
between Aberdeen Proving Ground and the northern end of its concurrency with US 1 in Bel Air.
's Penn Line
and heads north as Emmorton Road, a two-lane controlled access highway that passes between residential subdivisions in Edgewood, where the highway intersects Trimble Road. MD 24 expands to a four-lane divided highway just south of MD 755 (Edgewood Road). The state highway heads northeast, crossing in quick succession Otter Point Creek, US 40 (Pulaski Highway), and Winters Run
. Access to and from US 40 is provided via a two-way ramp between the two highways. MD 24 continues north as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway, which curves back to the north and crosses over CSX
's Philadelphia Subdivision before intersecting MD 7
(Philadelphia Road) in the hamlet of Van Bibber. After an intersection with Edgewood Road, which is MD 24's old alignment, the state highway meets I-95 (John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway) at a partial cloverleaf interchange.
North of I-95, MD 24 has an intersection with MD 924 (Emmorton Road) and Tollgate Road that is currently being reconstructed as a diamond interchange
. MD 924, which is the old alignment of MD 24, and Tollgate Road parallel MD 24 to the east and west, respectively. The two highways serve residential subdivisions bypassed by MD 24 between Edgewood and Bel Air; MD 924 serves the village of Emmorton
. MD 24 also passes close to the historic home Woodside
, accessed via Singer Road; Woodview
, found at the west end of Plumtree Road; and Whitaker's Mill Historic District
on Ring Factory Road. The state highway parallels Plumtree Run as it approaches Bel Air. MD 24 passes by Upper Chesapeake Medical Center before meeting US 1 Business
(Belair Road) at an intersection surrounded by shopping centers, including the Harford Mall
. The state highway crosses over the Ma and Pa Trail
, a rail trail
that follows the abandoned right-of-way of the Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad
, and Heavenly Waters, a tributary of Winters Run, before reaching its junction with US 1 (Bel Air Bypass). The three-way junction features long, sweeping ramps to and from the northbound direction of US 1 and an intersection with the U.S. highway to access the southbound direction.
. MD 24 passes through several sharp curves as the highway enters Rocks State Park, where the state highway passes through the gorge that Deer Creek has cut through Rock Ridge. The state highway crosses Deer Creek and passes the access road to the Gladden Farm
before leaving the state park.
MD 24 continues north through farmland, crossing several branches of Deer Creek and intersecting Holy Cross Road, which leads west to the Col. John Streett House
and east to the village of Street
. At Bush's Corner, the highway meets MD 165 (Federal Hill Road/Pylesville Road) at a roundabout. MD 24 passes close to Kilgore Falls, the second highest waterfall in Maryland; the falls on the Falling Branch of Deer Creek are accessed via St. Marys Road. Just to the north at Five Forks, the state highway intersects Clermont Mill Road and MD 136
, which heads west as Harkins Road and east as Whiteford Road. MD 24 continues northwest to its terminus at the Pennsylvania state line. Rocks Road continues north as SR 2055 to PA 851
, the Main Street of Fawn Grove.
. The portion of Pylesville Road between Graceton Road (now MD 624
) and the village of Pylesville was paved with macadam by 1910. MD 24 from just north of Forest Hill to Graceton Road was built with a 15 feet (4.6 m) wide concrete surface in four sections, with construction underway by 1917 and completed by 1921. The state highway just north of Forest Hill and the highway from Pylesville northeast to the state line were completed with a macadam surface by 1923.
MD 24 from Bush's Corner toward Fawn Grove began construction in 1926. The concrete highway was completed to St. Marys Road by 1927 and to Five Forks in 1928. The third section, from Five Forks to about 1 miles (1.6 km) south of the state line, was started in 1929 and completed in 1930. The final section to the state line at Fawn Grove was started in 1930 and completed by 1933. Around the time the highway was completed, MD 24 was switched from Pylesville Road to Rocks Road north of Bush's Corner; MD 165 was extended from Bush's Corner to Cardiff in MD 24's stead. MD 24 received a new bridge over Deer Creek within Rocks State Park in 1934. Since the 1930s, the only notable improvement to the original length of MD 24 was the construction of the roundabout at the MD 24 – MD 165 intersection in 2000.
Construction on what became MD 24 between Van Bibber and Bel Air got underway with the construction of a 1 miles (1.6 km) section of macadam road from Ring Factory Road south to Plumtree Road near Emmorton between 1925 and 1927. Another macadam segment was completed from Emmorton south to Singer Road at Norris Corner in 1928. A concrete highway from Norris Corner toward US 40 at Van Bibber was started in 1929. The first section was completed to approximately the location of I-95 in 1930 and to Van Bibber by 1933. Two county highway gaps in the state highway from Van Bibber to Bel Air were resurfaced with macadam and brought into the state system in 1933.
The two remaining portions of the MD 24 corridor to be built were completed through Edgewood and north of Bel Air in the 1930s. In 1930, Edgewood Road was built as a concrete road from US 40 just west of Van Bibber south to its entrance to Aberdeen Proving Ground at its Pennsylvania Railroad
crossing (now Amtrak
). Edgewood Road, which was originally designated MD 408, was constructed with a width of 16 feet (4.9 m) but was proposed for widening to 20 feet (6.1 m) as early as 1934 since it was the main entrance to the Edgewood Arsenal. MD 408 received an underpass of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (now CSX) and approaches to the grade separation in 1939.
Rock Spring Avenue north of Bel Air was improved as a macadam road starting in 1929. The improved road extended from the county seat north to the location of the Bel Air Bypass in the community of Frogtown in 1930 and was extended to about 1 miles (1.6 km) south of Forest Hill by 1933. The gap south of Forest Hill remained under county control until the highway was resurfaced with macadam around 1938. MD 24 was extended south from Forest Hill through Bel Air to MD 7 at Van Bibber in 1938. Through Bel Air, MD 24 followed Main Street, which was widened to 40 feet (12.2 m) in width around 1940.
Another relocation occurred in 1956 to remove MD 24's staggered intersections at MD 7 in Van Bibber. Edgewood Road was extended north to tie into Emmorton Road just south of the interchange with I-95; this project bypassed Van Bibber Road. MD 24 was relocated again near Van Bibber when the highway's interchange with I-95 was constructed in 1963. This relocation left behind the roadways now marked as Walton Road and Woodside Road in the southeast and northeast quadrants, respectively, of the original diamond interchange.
The next relocation in the Edgewood area occurred in two sections starting in 1967. MD 24 was moved to its present alignment from just south of the I-95 interchange to Edgewood Road south of US 40 in 1970. The bypass included a bridge over US 40; access between the two highways was provided by Edgewood Road, which was designated MD 755. The new alignment of MD 24 was extended south to a new entrance to Aberdeen Proving Ground in 1974; MD 755 was extended south along MD 24's old alignment to the pre-existing entrance next to the Edgewood MARC station
. MD 24 from I-95 to MD 755 was expanded to a divided highway around 1997; this project included the construction of a two-way ramp between MD 24 and US 40 to add the direct access that had not been provided in 1970.
MD 24's interchange with US 1 north of Bel Air was constructed in 1964 along with the rest of the Bel Air Bypass. The interchange was originally a diamond interchange; a loop ramp was added from northbound US 1 to northbound MD 24 in 1983. Construction of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway from I-95 to US 1 in Bel Air began in 1986. The four-lane divided highway was completed in 1987. MD 24 was also expanded to a divided highway through the I-95 interchange, which was transformed into its modern partial cloverleaf. The original alignment of MD 24 between I-95 and Bel Air was planned to become another section of MD 755 in 1986 but was designated MD 924 in 1987.
In autumn 2008, the Maryland Transportation Authority
began a project to build a diamond interchange at MD 24's junction with MD 924 and Tollgate Road just north of I-95. The interchange is expected to open in autumn 2011. The Maryland State Highway Administration
has long-term plans to expand the Bel Air Bypass to a divided highway from Winters Run to US 1 Business south of Hickory. The Bel Air Bypass is already a four-lane divided highway between MD 147
and Winters Run and around Hickory, but is a three- to four-lane undivided highway from Winters Run to US 1 Business south of Hickory. The Bel Air Bypass would be expanded to a four-lane divided highway from Winters Run to MD 24 and a six-lane divided highway along the US 1 – MD 24 concurrency. The US 1 – MD 24 intersection would be reconstructed as a trumpet interchange. The planning phase of the project was completed in 2001, but engineering, right-of-way acquisition, and actual construction are on hold until funding becomes available.
.
{|class=wikitable
!scope=col|Location
!scope=col|Mile
!scope=col|Destinations
!scope=col|Notes
|-
|rowspan=6|Edgewood
|0.00
|Entrance to Aberdeen Proving Ground
|Southern terminus
|-
|1.70
|
|
|-
|2.36
|
|Officially MD 24D; two-way ramp between US 40 and MD 24
|-
|2.86
|
|
|-
|3.65
|
|I-95 Exit 77
|-
|4.23
|
|Interchange under construction
|-
|rowspan=3|Bel Air
|9.14
|
|
|-
|10.01
|
|South end of concurrency with US 1
|-
|11.55
|
|Partial cloverleaf interchange; north end of concurrency with US 1
|-
|Forest Hill
|13.35
|
|
|-
|
|21.04
|
|Roundabout
|-
|
|22.95
|
|
|-
|
|25.17
|
|Northern terminus; Pennsylvania
state line
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. The state highway runs 25.17 miles (40.5 km) from an entrance to Aberdeen Proving Ground
Aberdeen Proving Ground
Aberdeen Proving Ground is a United States Army facility located near Aberdeen, Maryland, . Part of the facility is a census-designated place , which had a population of 3,116 at the 2000 census.- History :...
in Edgewood
Edgewood, Maryland
Edgewood is a census-designated place in Harford County, Maryland, United States. The population was 23,378 at the 2000 census.-History:Pooles Island Light was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.-Geography:...
north to the Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
state line near Fawn Grove, Pennsylvania
Fawn Grove, Pennsylvania
Fawn Grove is a borough in York County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 452 at the 2010 census. It is served by the South Eastern School District which provides a public education.-Geography:Fawn Grove is located at ....
. MD 24 is the main north–south highway of Harford County
Harford County, Maryland
Harford County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland. In 2010, its population was 244,826. Its county seat is Bel Air. Harford County forms part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area.-History:...
. The southern half of the state highway connects U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1 in Maryland
U.S. Route 1 is the easternmost and longest of the major north–south routes of the United States Numbered Highway System, running from Key West, Florida to Fort Kent, Maine. In the U.S...
(US 1) and the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Bel Air
Bel Air, Harford County, Maryland
The town of Bel Air is the county seat of Harford County, Maryland, United States. According to the 2000 census the population of the town was 10,080. In 2009 the town's estimated population was 10,368...
with Aberdeen Proving Ground, US 40
U.S. Route 40 in Maryland
U.S. Route 40 in the U.S. state of Maryland runs from western Maryland to Cecil County in the state's northeastern corner. With a total length of over , it is the longest numbered highway in Maryland. Almost half of the road overlaps with Interstate 68 or Interstate 70, while the old alignment...
, and Interstate 95
Interstate 95 in Maryland
Interstate 95 in Maryland is a major highway that runs diagonally from northeast to southwest, from Maryland's border with Delaware, to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, briefly entering the District of Columbia before reaching Virginia...
(I-95) through a suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
an corridor. The northern half of MD 24 is a rural highway that passes through Rocks State Park
Rocks State Park
The Rocks State Park, originally known as Deer Creek State Park, is a state park located in Deer Creek Valley near Pylesville in Harford County, Maryland. The park, located near the junction of Maryland Routes 24 and 165 is near the Mason-Dixon Line, and about a one-hour drive from Baltimore...
.
The original section of MD 24, which began at MD 23
Maryland Route 23
Maryland Route 23 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The state highway runs from U.S. Route 1 in Hickory north and west to the Pennsylvania state line near Norrisville, where the highway continues as Pennsylvania Route 24 . MD 23 is an L-shaped highway in northwestern Harford...
in Forest Hill
Forest Hill, Maryland
Forest Hill is an unincorporated community in Harford County, Maryland, United States located north of the county seat of Bel Air. The main part of town is located at the intersection of Maryland Route 24 and Jarrettsville Road...
and included MD 165
Maryland Route 165
Maryland Route 165 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The state highway runs from Baldwin north to the Pennsylvania state line in Cardiff, where the highway continues as Pennsylvania Route 74 . MD 165 passes through western and northern Harford County, where it connects the...
through Pylesville
Pylesville, Maryland
Pylesville is an unincorporated community in Harford County, in the Baltimore metro area of the state of Maryland in the United States. Governed at the county level, the area has a population of around 2000. Until 1958, this community was served by the Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad at milepost...
, was constructed in the late 1910s and early 1920s. MD 24 was moved to the highway to Fawn Grove after that road was built in the late 1920s and early 1930s. The highway between US 1 in Bel Air and US 40 in Edgewood was also constructed in the late 1920s and early 1930s. The state highway from US 40 south to Aberdeen Proving Ground was constructed as MD 408 around 1930. After the road from Bel Air to Forest Hill was completed in the mid-1930s, MD 24 was extended south to Edgewood.
MD 24 received its first relocation in Edgewood in the mid 1950s after assuming all of MD 408. After another relocation due to the construction of I-95 in the early 1960s, the state highway was placed on a new alignment through Edgewood in the late 1960s and early 1970s; the old alignment became MD 755
Maryland Route 755
Maryland Route 755 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Edgewood Road, the state highway runs from an entrance to Aberdeen Proving Ground north to U.S. Route 40 in Edgewood. MD 755 is a part of the National Highway System as an intermodal connector between the Edgewood...
. MD 24 was relocated to a divided highway from I-95 to US 1 in the late 1980s; the old highway through Bel Air became MD 924
Maryland Route 924
Maryland Route 924 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The state highway runs from MD 24 near Edgewood to U.S. Route 1 and MD 24 in Bel Air. MD 924 is the old alignment of MD 24 through the Bel Air area in central Harford County. The state highway was originally constructed in...
. Much of the highway through Edgewood was expanded to a divided highway in the mid 1990s.
Route description
MD 24 carries five names throughout its length. The highway is named Emmorton Road between Aberdeen Proving Ground and US 40 and Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway from US 40 to US 1. After its short concurrencyConcurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
with US 1 on the Bel Air Bypass, MD 24 is known as Rock Springs Avenue from US 1 to Forest Hill, where the highway becomes Rocks Road for the remainder of its length to the Pennsylvania state line. The state highway is a part of the National Highway System
National Highway System (United States)
The National Highway System is a network of strategic highways within the United States, including the Interstate Highway System and other roads serving major airports, ports, rail or truck terminals, railway stations, pipeline terminals and other strategic transport facilities.Individual states...
between Aberdeen Proving Ground and the northern end of its concurrency with US 1 in Bel Air.
Edgewood to Bel Air
MD 24 begins at an entrance to the Edgewood Area of Aberdeen Proving Ground; the highway continues south into the military installation as Hoadley Road. The state highway crosses over the Amtrak Northeast Corridor and MARCMARC Train
MARC , known prior to 1984 as Maryland Rail Commuter Service, is a regional rail system comprising three lines in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. MARC is administered by the Maryland Transit Administration , a Maryland Department of Transportation agency, and is operated under contract...
's Penn Line
Penn Line (MARC)
The Penn Line is a MARC commuter rail line running from Union Station, Washington D.C. to Perryville, Maryland via Penn Station, Baltimore, Maryland on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor. It is MARC's busiest and only electric line. Currently the line is the fastest commuter rail line in the country, with...
and heads north as Emmorton Road, a two-lane controlled access highway that passes between residential subdivisions in Edgewood, where the highway intersects Trimble Road. MD 24 expands to a four-lane divided highway just south of MD 755 (Edgewood Road). The state highway heads northeast, crossing in quick succession Otter Point Creek, US 40 (Pulaski Highway), and Winters Run
Winters Run
Winters Run is a river in Harford County, Maryland. The river begins north of the community of Fallston at the confluence of the West and East Branches, and flows southeast about to Atkisson Dam in Edgewood. The dam and reservoir were built by the U.S. Army in 1942 to provide an auxiliary fresh...
. Access to and from US 40 is provided via a two-way ramp between the two highways. MD 24 continues north as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway, which curves back to the north and crosses over CSX
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
's Philadelphia Subdivision before intersecting MD 7
Maryland Route 7
Maryland Route 7 is a collection of state highways in the U.S. state of Maryland. These highways are sections of old alignment of U.S. Route 40 between Baltimore and Elkton that were bypassed when US 40 was moved to Pulaski Highway, a four-lane divided highway, in the late 1930s and early 1940s...
(Philadelphia Road) in the hamlet of Van Bibber. After an intersection with Edgewood Road, which is MD 24's old alignment, the state highway meets I-95 (John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway) at a partial cloverleaf interchange.
North of I-95, MD 24 has an intersection with MD 924 (Emmorton Road) and Tollgate Road that is currently being reconstructed as a diamond interchange
Diamond interchange
A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a freeway crosses a minor road. The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge...
. MD 924, which is the old alignment of MD 24, and Tollgate Road parallel MD 24 to the east and west, respectively. The two highways serve residential subdivisions bypassed by MD 24 between Edgewood and Bel Air; MD 924 serves the village of Emmorton
Emmorton, Maryland
Emmorton is an unincorporated community in Harford County, Maryland, United States. St. Mary's Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.-References:...
. MD 24 also passes close to the historic home Woodside
Woodside (Abingdon, Maryland)
Woodside is a historic home located at Abingdon, Harford County, Maryland. It has a -story main section, designed in 1823, that is an excellent example of a Federal side hall, double parlor plan house. The house is constructed of coursed fieldstone and ashlar...
, accessed via Singer Road; Woodview
Woodview
Woodview, also known as Gibson's Ridge, is a historic home located at Bel Air, Harford County, Maryland, United States. It is a two-section, -story Federal style stone house. The main section conststs of two parts: a three-bay-wide two-room plan section dating to 1744 and a two bays wide section...
, found at the west end of Plumtree Road; and Whitaker's Mill Historic District
Whitaker's Mill Historic District
Whitaker's Mill Historic District is a national historic district near Joppa, Harford County, Maryland, United States. It includes three early- to mid-19th-century buildings: the -story rubble stone Whitaker's Mill built in 1851, the -story rubble stone miller's house, and the log-and-frame Magness...
on Ring Factory Road. The state highway parallels Plumtree Run as it approaches Bel Air. MD 24 passes by Upper Chesapeake Medical Center before meeting US 1 Business
U.S. Route 1 Business (Bel Air, Maryland)
U.S. Route 1 Business is a business route of U.S. Route 1 in the U.S. state of Maryland. The highway runs from US 1 and Maryland Route 147 in Benson north to US 1 near Hickory. US 1 Business is the old alignment of US 1 through Bel Air, the county seat of Harford County. US 1 was originally...
(Belair Road) at an intersection surrounded by shopping centers, including the Harford Mall
Harford Mall
The Harford Mall is a shopping mall owned by CBL & Associates Properties that is located near the junction of Maryland Route 24 and U.S. Route 1, about north of Baltimore. Its major stores include Macy's , Old Navy and Sears...
. The state highway crosses over the Ma and Pa Trail
Ma and Pa Trail
The Ma and Pa Trail is a multi-purpose rail trail that follows the path of the old Ma and Pa Railroad through Harford County, Maryland. It contains three linked trails, one unconnected, with plans to bridge the gap in the middle, bringing the total length to...
, a rail trail
Rail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
that follows the abandoned right-of-way of the Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad
Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad
The Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad , familiarly known as the "Ma and Pa", was an American short-line railroad between York and Hanover, Pennsylvania, formerly operating passenger and freight trains on its original line between York and Baltimore, Maryland, from 1901 until the 1950s...
, and Heavenly Waters, a tributary of Winters Run, before reaching its junction with US 1 (Bel Air Bypass). The three-way junction features long, sweeping ramps to and from the northbound direction of US 1 and an intersection with the U.S. highway to access the southbound direction.
Bel Air to Fawn Grove
MD 24 and US 1 head northeast together as a four-lane undivided highway. The two highways pass under Vale Road before reaching the northern end of the concurrency, which is a partial cloverleaf interchange with Rock Springs Avenue. The avenue heads south toward downtown Bel Air as MD 924; MD 24 leaves US 1 and heads north on the avenue. The state highway heads north through a commercial area as a five-lane road with center turn lane. The highway reduces to two lanes and passes through another commercial area before its intersection with MD 23 (East–West Highway) in Forest Hill. At Jarrettsville Road, which is the old alignment of MD 23, MD 24's name changes to Rocks Road and enters a mix of farmland and forest. The state highway crosses Stirrup Run before beginning to closely parallel Deer CreekDeer Creek (Maryland)
Deer Creek is a river in Maryland that flows through the scenic areas of Harford County and empties into the Susquehanna River, roughly halfway between the Interstate 95 bridge and Conowingo Dam...
. MD 24 passes through several sharp curves as the highway enters Rocks State Park, where the state highway passes through the gorge that Deer Creek has cut through Rock Ridge. The state highway crosses Deer Creek and passes the access road to the Gladden Farm
Gladden Farm
Gladden Farm, also known as Gladden-Roming Stone House, is a historic home and farm complex located at Street, Harford County, Maryland. It contains three historically significant structures: a large five-bay rubblestone bank house with Federal detailing, a one-story rubblestone spring house, and a...
before leaving the state park.
MD 24 continues north through farmland, crossing several branches of Deer Creek and intersecting Holy Cross Road, which leads west to the Col. John Streett House
Col. John Streett House
The Col. John Streett House is a historic home located at Street, Harford County, Maryland, United States. It is a Federal style home composed of three brick sections, two of which are original and one a late 19th century addition. The original dwelling built about 1805, consists of a -story,...
and east to the village of Street
Street, Maryland
Street, Maryland is a rural unincorporated area in Northern Harford County, Maryland. Street was first settled by Dutch immigrants in the early 18th century.One of the central villages in Street is Highland...
. At Bush's Corner, the highway meets MD 165 (Federal Hill Road/Pylesville Road) at a roundabout. MD 24 passes close to Kilgore Falls, the second highest waterfall in Maryland; the falls on the Falling Branch of Deer Creek are accessed via St. Marys Road. Just to the north at Five Forks, the state highway intersects Clermont Mill Road and MD 136
Maryland Route 136
Maryland Route 136 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The state highway runs from MD 7 near Abingdon north to MD 23 in Norrisville. MD 136 is an L-shaped route that connects the communities of Creswell, Churchville, Dublin, and Whiteford in eastern Harford County with each other...
, which heads west as Harkins Road and east as Whiteford Road. MD 24 continues northwest to its terminus at the Pennsylvania state line. Rocks Road continues north as SR 2055 to PA 851
Pennsylvania Route 851
Pennsylvania Route 851 is a long state highway located in York County in Pennsylvania. The western terminus is at PA 516 in Manheim Township. The eastern terminus is at PA 74 in Peach Bottom Township.-Route description:...
, the Main Street of Fawn Grove.
History
MD 24 was originally constructed between 1917 and 1938. While the portion of the state highway north of Bel Air has seen limited improvements since the 1930s, the highway south of Bel Air has been fully relocated, in some places multiple times, and expanded to a divided highway for much of its length.Original construction and early improvements
MD 24 was one of the original state-numbered highways designated in 1927. The state highway originally began at MD 23 in Forest Hill and followed its current course along Rocks Road north to Bush's Corner, then followed Pylesville Road (which later became MD 165) through Pylesville to the Pennsylvania state line at CardiffCardiff, Maryland
Cardiff is an unincorporated community in Harford County, Maryland, United States. The population was 518 at the 2000 census. Zipcode for the area is 21160. It takes its name from the Capital city of Wales.-Geography:...
. The portion of Pylesville Road between Graceton Road (now MD 624
Maryland Route 624
Maryland Route 624 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The state highway runs from MD 165 in Pylesville north to the Pennsylvania state line a short distance north of the intersection with MD 136 in Graceton. MD 624 was constructed in the mid 1930s.-Route description:MD 624 begins...
) and the village of Pylesville was paved with macadam by 1910. MD 24 from just north of Forest Hill to Graceton Road was built with a 15 feet (4.6 m) wide concrete surface in four sections, with construction underway by 1917 and completed by 1921. The state highway just north of Forest Hill and the highway from Pylesville northeast to the state line were completed with a macadam surface by 1923.
MD 24 from Bush's Corner toward Fawn Grove began construction in 1926. The concrete highway was completed to St. Marys Road by 1927 and to Five Forks in 1928. The third section, from Five Forks to about 1 miles (1.6 km) south of the state line, was started in 1929 and completed in 1930. The final section to the state line at Fawn Grove was started in 1930 and completed by 1933. Around the time the highway was completed, MD 24 was switched from Pylesville Road to Rocks Road north of Bush's Corner; MD 165 was extended from Bush's Corner to Cardiff in MD 24's stead. MD 24 received a new bridge over Deer Creek within Rocks State Park in 1934. Since the 1930s, the only notable improvement to the original length of MD 24 was the construction of the roundabout at the MD 24 – MD 165 intersection in 2000.
Construction on what became MD 24 between Van Bibber and Bel Air got underway with the construction of a 1 miles (1.6 km) section of macadam road from Ring Factory Road south to Plumtree Road near Emmorton between 1925 and 1927. Another macadam segment was completed from Emmorton south to Singer Road at Norris Corner in 1928. A concrete highway from Norris Corner toward US 40 at Van Bibber was started in 1929. The first section was completed to approximately the location of I-95 in 1930 and to Van Bibber by 1933. Two county highway gaps in the state highway from Van Bibber to Bel Air were resurfaced with macadam and brought into the state system in 1933.
The two remaining portions of the MD 24 corridor to be built were completed through Edgewood and north of Bel Air in the 1930s. In 1930, Edgewood Road was built as a concrete road from US 40 just west of Van Bibber south to its entrance to Aberdeen Proving Ground at its Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
crossing (now Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
). Edgewood Road, which was originally designated MD 408, was constructed with a width of 16 feet (4.9 m) but was proposed for widening to 20 feet (6.1 m) as early as 1934 since it was the main entrance to the Edgewood Arsenal. MD 408 received an underpass of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (now CSX) and approaches to the grade separation in 1939.
Rock Spring Avenue north of Bel Air was improved as a macadam road starting in 1929. The improved road extended from the county seat north to the location of the Bel Air Bypass in the community of Frogtown in 1930 and was extended to about 1 miles (1.6 km) south of Forest Hill by 1933. The gap south of Forest Hill remained under county control until the highway was resurfaced with macadam around 1938. MD 24 was extended south from Forest Hill through Bel Air to MD 7 at Van Bibber in 1938. Through Bel Air, MD 24 followed Main Street, which was widened to 40 feet (12.2 m) in width around 1940.
Relocations and expansions
The first post-war project on MD 24 was the reconstruction of the highway from Norris Corner to Van Bibber starting in 1950. By the time the project to resurface the highway in bituminous concrete ended in 1952, MD 24 was extended south through Edgewood, replacing MD 408 from MD 7 to Aberdeen Proving Ground. MD 24 was widened and resurfaced with bituminous concrete from Norris Corner to Bel Air starting in 1954 and from Bel Air to Forest Hill beginning in 1956. The Norris Corner – Bel Air project included the highway's first relocation at Emmorton, leaving behind Old Emmorton Road.Another relocation occurred in 1956 to remove MD 24's staggered intersections at MD 7 in Van Bibber. Edgewood Road was extended north to tie into Emmorton Road just south of the interchange with I-95; this project bypassed Van Bibber Road. MD 24 was relocated again near Van Bibber when the highway's interchange with I-95 was constructed in 1963. This relocation left behind the roadways now marked as Walton Road and Woodside Road in the southeast and northeast quadrants, respectively, of the original diamond interchange.
The next relocation in the Edgewood area occurred in two sections starting in 1967. MD 24 was moved to its present alignment from just south of the I-95 interchange to Edgewood Road south of US 40 in 1970. The bypass included a bridge over US 40; access between the two highways was provided by Edgewood Road, which was designated MD 755. The new alignment of MD 24 was extended south to a new entrance to Aberdeen Proving Ground in 1974; MD 755 was extended south along MD 24's old alignment to the pre-existing entrance next to the Edgewood MARC station
Edgewood (MARC station)
Edgewood is a passenger rail station on the MARC Penn Line between Washington, D.C., Baltimore, MD and Perryville, MD. The station is also on the southern section of the Northeast Corridor however, Amtrak does not service this station. However, Amtrak #151 stops at Edgewood to receive MARC...
. MD 24 from I-95 to MD 755 was expanded to a divided highway around 1997; this project included the construction of a two-way ramp between MD 24 and US 40 to add the direct access that had not been provided in 1970.
MD 24's interchange with US 1 north of Bel Air was constructed in 1964 along with the rest of the Bel Air Bypass. The interchange was originally a diamond interchange; a loop ramp was added from northbound US 1 to northbound MD 24 in 1983. Construction of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway from I-95 to US 1 in Bel Air began in 1986. The four-lane divided highway was completed in 1987. MD 24 was also expanded to a divided highway through the I-95 interchange, which was transformed into its modern partial cloverleaf. The original alignment of MD 24 between I-95 and Bel Air was planned to become another section of MD 755 in 1986 but was designated MD 924 in 1987.
In autumn 2008, the Maryland Transportation Authority
Maryland Transportation Authority
The Maryland Transportation Authority is an independent state agency responsible for financing, constructing, operating, and maintaining eight toll facilities, currently consisting of two toll roads, two tunnels, and four bridges in Maryland...
began a project to build a diamond interchange at MD 24's junction with MD 924 and Tollgate Road just north of I-95. The interchange is expected to open in autumn 2011. The Maryland State Highway Administration
Maryland State Highway Administration
The Maryland State Highway Administration is the state agency responsible for maintaining Maryland numbered highways outside of Baltimore City...
has long-term plans to expand the Bel Air Bypass to a divided highway from Winters Run to US 1 Business south of Hickory. The Bel Air Bypass is already a four-lane divided highway between MD 147
Maryland Route 147
Maryland Route 147 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Harford Road, the state highway runs from U.S. Route 1 in Baltimore north to US 1 and US 1 Business in Benson. MD 147 is an alternate route to US 1 between Baltimore and Bel Air, the county seat of Harford County...
and Winters Run and around Hickory, but is a three- to four-lane undivided highway from Winters Run to US 1 Business south of Hickory. The Bel Air Bypass would be expanded to a four-lane divided highway from Winters Run to MD 24 and a six-lane divided highway along the US 1 – MD 24 concurrency. The US 1 – MD 24 intersection would be reconstructed as a trumpet interchange. The planning phase of the project was completed in 2001, but engineering, right-of-way acquisition, and actual construction are on hold until funding becomes available.
Junction list
The entire route is in Harford CountyHarford County, Maryland
Harford County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland. In 2010, its population was 244,826. Its county seat is Bel Air. Harford County forms part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area.-History:...
.
{|class=wikitable
!scope=col|Location
!scope=col|Mile
!scope=col|Destinations
!scope=col|Notes
|-
|rowspan=6|Edgewood
Edgewood, Maryland
Edgewood is a census-designated place in Harford County, Maryland, United States. The population was 23,378 at the 2000 census.-History:Pooles Island Light was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.-Geography:...
|0.00
|Entrance to Aberdeen Proving Ground
Aberdeen Proving Ground
Aberdeen Proving Ground is a United States Army facility located near Aberdeen, Maryland, . Part of the facility is a census-designated place , which had a population of 3,116 at the 2000 census.- History :...
|Southern terminus
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|1.70
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|2.36
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|Officially MD 24D; two-way ramp between US 40 and MD 24
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|2.86
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|3.65
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|I-95 Exit 77
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|4.23
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|Interchange under construction
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|rowspan=3|Bel Air
Bel Air, Harford County, Maryland
The town of Bel Air is the county seat of Harford County, Maryland, United States. According to the 2000 census the population of the town was 10,080. In 2009 the town's estimated population was 10,368...
|9.14
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|10.01
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|South end of concurrency with US 1
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|11.55
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|Partial cloverleaf interchange; north end of concurrency with US 1
|-
|Forest Hill
Forest Hill, Maryland
Forest Hill is an unincorporated community in Harford County, Maryland, United States located north of the county seat of Bel Air. The main part of town is located at the intersection of Maryland Route 24 and Jarrettsville Road...
|13.35
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|-
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|21.04
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|Roundabout
Roundabout
A roundabout is the name for a road junction in which traffic moves in one direction around a central island. The word dates from the early 20th century. Roundabouts are common in many countries around the world...
|-
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|22.95
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|-
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|25.17
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|Northern terminus; Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
state line
Auxiliary routes
MD 24 has three existing auxiliary routes.- MD 24D is the designation for the Otter Creek Ramp, a 0.23 mile (0.3701482 km) long four-lane divided ramp that connects MD 24 with US 40. MD 24D was built in 1997.
- MD 24E is the designation for the unnamed 0.85 miles (1.4 km) ramp from northbound MD 24 to northbound US 1. This ramp was built in 1987 as part of the construction of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway and designated MD 24E in 2001.
- MD 24F is the designation for the unnamed 0.52 mile (0.8368568 km) ramp from northbound US 1 to southbound MD 24. Like MD 23E, MD 24F was built in 1987 and received its designation in 2001.