Maryland Route 316
Encyclopedia
Maryland Route 316 is a state highway
in the U.S. state
of Maryland
. Known as Appleton Road, the state highway runs 2.67 miles (4.3 km) 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 1920s north of Elk Mills. The state highway was extended south to its present terminus when MD 279 moved to a new alignment north of Elkton in the early 1960s. The northern terminus was moved south to MD 277 in the late 1960s.
. The state highway heads northeast past scattered residences and Gilpin Manor Memorial Park and twice crosses a tributary of Big Elk Creek. MD 316 intersects Belle Hill Road as the highway ascends onto a ridge separating Big Elk Creek from the Christina River
, which are parts of the Chesapeake Bay
and Delaware Bay
drainage basins
, respectively. The state highway crosses Interstate 95
(I-95) with no access and passes between a distribution facility and a quarry before reaching its northern terminus in Elk Mills at MD 277, which heads west as Elk Mills Road and east as Fletchwood Road. Appleton Road continues north along the ridge as a county highway.
. That disjoint portion of MD 316 was constructed from just south of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
(now CSX) north to Barksdale Road, including a bridge over the railroad tracks, by 1923. What is now MD 316 south of Belle Hill Road was originally MD 279, which followed Belle Hill Road northeast to its present alignment. The segment of county highway from MD 277 to near the B&O crossing was brought under state maintenance around 1950 to connect the two sections of state highway. In 1963, MD 316 was extended south it its present terminus when MD 279 was moved to a new alignment between Big Elk Creek and I-95. MD 316's northern terminus was rolled back to MD 277 in 1968.
.
{| class=wikitable
!Location
!Mile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=2|Elkton
|0.00
|
|Southern terminus
|-
|1.06
|Belle Hill Road
|Old alignment of MD 279
|-
|rowspan=2|Elk Mills
|rowspan=2|2.67
|
|rowspan=2|Northern terminus
|-
|Appleton Road north
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 Appleton Road, the state highway runs 2.67 miles (4.3 km) from MD 279
Maryland Route 279
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 from U.S. Route 40 west of Elkton to the Delaware state line north of Elkton, where the highway continues as Delaware Route 2...
in 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...
north to 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...
in Elk Mills
Elk Mills, Maryland
Elk Mills is an unincorporated community in Cecil County, Maryland, United States....
in northeastern 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 316 was constructed in two sections in the early 1910s from Elkton to Elk Mills and in early 1920s north of Elk Mills. The state highway was extended south to its present terminus when MD 279 moved to a new alignment north of Elkton in the early 1960s. The northern terminus was moved south to MD 277 in the late 1960s.
Route description
MD 316 begins at an intersection with MD 279 (Elkton Road) in Elkton just north of MD 279's crossing of Big Elk CreekElk 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...
. The state highway heads northeast past scattered residences and Gilpin Manor Memorial Park and twice crosses a tributary of Big Elk Creek. MD 316 intersects Belle Hill Road as the highway ascends onto a ridge separating Big Elk Creek from the Christina River
Christina River
The Christina River is a tributary of the Delaware River, approximately 35 miles long, in northern Delaware in the United States, also flowing through small areas of southeastern Pennsylvania and northeastern Maryland. Near its mouth the river flows past downtown Wilmington, Delaware,...
, which are parts of the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
and Delaware Bay
Delaware Bay
Delaware Bay is a major estuary outlet of the Delaware River on the Northeast seaboard of the United States whose fresh water mixes for many miles with the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. It is in area. The bay is bordered by the State of New Jersey and the State of Delaware...
drainage basins
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
, respectively. The state highway crosses 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) with no access and passes between a distribution facility and a quarry before reaching its northern terminus in Elk Mills at MD 277, which heads west as Elk Mills Road and east as Fletchwood Road. Appleton Road continues north along the ridge as a county highway.
History
MD 316 was paved as a state-aid road known as Barksdale Road from the northern limit of Elkton to MD 277 by 1915. Another section of highway known as Cowentown Road was planned to begin construction in 1917, but it was cancelled due to World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. That disjoint portion of MD 316 was constructed from just south of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
(now CSX) north to Barksdale Road, including a bridge over the railroad tracks, by 1923. What is now MD 316 south of Belle Hill Road was originally MD 279, which followed Belle Hill Road northeast to its present alignment. The segment of county highway from MD 277 to near the B&O crossing was brought under state maintenance around 1950 to connect the two sections of state highway. In 1963, MD 316 was extended south it its present terminus when MD 279 was moved to a new alignment between Big Elk Creek and I-95. MD 316's northern terminus was rolled back to MD 277 in 1968.
Junction list
The entire route is in Cecil CountyCecil 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
!Location
!Mile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=2|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...
|0.00
|
|Southern terminus
|-
|1.06
|Belle Hill Road
|Old alignment of MD 279
|-
|rowspan=2|Elk Mills
Elk Mills, Maryland
Elk Mills is an unincorporated community in Cecil County, Maryland, United States....
|rowspan=2|2.67
|
|rowspan=2|Northern terminus
|-
|Appleton Road north