Maryland Route 279
Encyclopedia
Maryland Route 279 is a state highway
in the U.S. state
of Maryland
. Known as Elkton Road and Newark Avenue, the state highway runs 4.95 miles (8 km) from U.S. Route 40
(US 40) west of Elkton
to the Delaware
state line north of Elkton, where the highway continues as Delaware Route 2 (DE 2). MD 279 functions as a northern bypass of Elkton and is the primary highway to Newark, Delaware
from Maryland. The state highway was constructed in the 1910s. The highway was realigned north of Elkton in the early 1960s when Interstate 95
(I-95) was constructed through eastern Cecil County
. MD 279 bypassed Elkton with an extension to US 40 in the late 1960s; the old alignment to downtown Elkton was designated MD 268
.
(Philadelphia Road) heads south and west from the opposite side of the intersection. MD 279 heads northeast as a two-lane highway, passing the Elkton YMCA
before crossing Little Elk Creek and entering the town limits of Elkton. The state highway intersects MD 545
(Blue Ball Road) and curves to the east ahead of the junction with MD 213
(Bridge Street), where the highway becomes Newark Avenue and expands to three lanes with a center turn lane. MD 279 goes through a residential area where the highway passes Gilpin Manor Elementary School and Elkton Middle School before the intersection with MD 268 (North Street). The state highway becomes Elkton Road again and crosses Big Elk Creek
, leaving the town limits of Elkton and immediately meets the southern terminus of MD 316
(Appleton Road). MD 279 continues northeast as a four-lane divided highway. The state highway intersects Belle Hill Road in the midst of a commercial area catering to travellers before meeting I-95 (John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway) at a cloverleaf interchange. MD 279 intersects MD 277
(Fletchwood Road) immediately before reaching its northern terminus at the Delaware state line. The highway continues northeast as DE 2 (Elkton Road) toward Newark.
in Cecil County
.
{| class=wikitable
!Mile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=2|0.00
|
|rowspan=2|Southern terminus
|-
|
|-
|0.60
|
|
|-
|1.18
|
|
|-
|1.70
|
|Old alignment of MD 279
|-
|1.80
|
|Old alignment of MD 279
|-
|3.37
|Belle Hill Road south
|Old alignment of MD 279
|-
|3.81
|
|I-95 Exit 109; Cloverleaf interchange
|-
|4.91
|
|
|-
|4.95
| – Newark, DE
|Northern terminus; Delaware
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...
. Known as Elkton Road and Newark Avenue, the state highway runs 4.95 miles (8 km) from U.S. Route 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...
(US 40) west of Elkton
Elkton, Maryland
The town of Elkton is the county seat of Cecil County, Maryland, United States. The population was 11,893 as of the 2000 census and 14,842 according to current July 2008 census estimates. It is the county seat of Cecil County...
to the Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
state line north of Elkton, where the highway continues as Delaware Route 2 (DE 2). MD 279 functions as a northern bypass of Elkton and is the primary highway to Newark, Delaware
Newark, Delaware
Newark is an American city in New Castle County, Delaware, west-southwest of Wilmington. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the city is 31,454. Newark is the home of the University of Delaware.- History :...
from Maryland. The state highway was constructed in the 1910s. The highway was realigned north of Elkton in the early 1960s when 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) was constructed through eastern Cecil County
Cecil County, Maryland
Cecil County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is part of the Delaware Valley. It was named for Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore , who was the first Proprietary Governor of the colony of Maryland from 1632 until his death in 1675. The county seat is Elkton. The newspaper...
. MD 279 bypassed Elkton with an extension to US 40 in the late 1960s; the old alignment to downtown Elkton was designated MD 268
Maryland Route 268
Maryland Route 268 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as North Street, the state highway runs from MD 7 north to MD 279 within Elkton. MD 268, the old alignment of MD 279 within Elkton, was designated in 1967 after MD 279 bypassed Elkton.-Route description:MD 268 begins an...
.
Route description
MD 279 begins at an intersection with US 40 (Pulaski Highway) west of Elkton, heading along Elkton Road. MD 7Maryland 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) heads south and west from the opposite side of the intersection. MD 279 heads northeast as a two-lane highway, passing the Elkton YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
before crossing Little Elk Creek and entering the town limits of Elkton. The state highway intersects MD 545
Maryland Route 545
Maryland Route 545 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known for most of its length as Blue Ball Road, the state highway runs from MD 213 in Elkton north to Kirk Road and Warburton Road in Pleasant Hill in central Cecil County...
(Blue Ball Road) and curves to the east ahead of the junction with MD 213
Maryland Route 213
Maryland Route 213 is a state highway located on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in the United States. The route runs from Maryland Route 662 in Wye Mills, Queen Anne's County north to the Pennsylvania border in Cecil County, where it continues into that state as Pennsylvania Route 841...
(Bridge Street), where the highway becomes Newark Avenue and expands to three lanes with a center turn lane. MD 279 goes through a residential area where the highway passes Gilpin Manor Elementary School and Elkton Middle School before the intersection with MD 268 (North Street). The state highway becomes Elkton Road again and crosses Big Elk Creek
Elk River (Maryland)
The Elk River is a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay on the Delmarva Peninsula. It is about long, and as the most northeastern extension of the Chesapeake Bay estuary, serves as one entrance to the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. It is located in Cecil County, Maryland, with its headwaters extending...
, leaving the town limits of Elkton and immediately meets the southern terminus of MD 316
Maryland Route 316
Maryland Route 316 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Appleton Road, the state highway runs from MD 279 in Elkton north to MD 277 in Elk Mills in northeastern Cecil County. MD 316 was constructed in two sections in the early 1910s from Elkton to Elk Mills and in early...
(Appleton Road). MD 279 continues northeast as a four-lane divided highway. The state highway intersects Belle Hill Road in the midst of a commercial area catering to travellers before meeting I-95 (John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway) at a cloverleaf interchange. MD 279 intersects MD 277
Maryland Route 277
Maryland Route 277 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The state highway runs from Elk Mills east to MD 279 near Elkton in northeastern Cecil County...
(Fletchwood Road) immediately before reaching its northern terminus at the Delaware state line. The highway continues northeast as DE 2 (Elkton Road) toward Newark.
History
MD 279 was paved as a state-aid road from the northern limit of Elkton to the Delaware state line by 1915. The state highway was completed by 1921 when North Street within Elkton was surfaced. Outside of Elkton, MD 279 followed present day MD 316 north from Big Elk Creek, veered east onto Belle Hill Road, then followed its present alignment northeast to the state line. In 1963, the state highway moved to its present alignment between Big Elk Creek and I-95 in conjunction with the construction of the highway's interchange with I-95. MD 279 was extended west on a new alignment to US 40 west of Elkton in 1967; North Street was redesignated MD 268. The divided highway between MD 316 and the state line was completed around 1983.Junction list
The entire route is in ElktonElkton, Maryland
The town of Elkton is the county seat of Cecil County, Maryland, United States. The population was 11,893 as of the 2000 census and 14,842 according to current July 2008 census estimates. It is the county seat of Cecil County...
in Cecil County
Cecil County, Maryland
Cecil County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is part of the Delaware Valley. It was named for Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore , who was the first Proprietary Governor of the colony of Maryland from 1632 until his death in 1675. The county seat is Elkton. The newspaper...
.
{| class=wikitable
!Mile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=2|0.00
|
|rowspan=2|Southern terminus
|-
|
|-
|0.60
|
|
|-
|1.18
|
|
|-
|1.70
|
|Old alignment of MD 279
|-
|1.80
|
|Old alignment of MD 279
|-
|3.37
|Belle Hill Road south
|Old alignment of MD 279
|-
|3.81
|
|I-95 Exit 109; Cloverleaf interchange
|-
|4.91
|
|
|-
|4.95
| – Newark, DE
Newark, Delaware
Newark is an American city in New Castle County, Delaware, west-southwest of Wilmington. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the city is 31,454. Newark is the home of the University of Delaware.- History :...
|Northern terminus; Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
state line