Maryland Route 944
Encyclopedia
Maryland Route 944 is a state highway
in the U.S. state
of Maryland
. Known as Mervell Dean Road, the state highway runs 2.26 miles (3.6 km) from the beginning of state maintenance near California
north to MD 235
in Hollywood
. MD 944 is part of the old alignment of MD 235 between California and Hollywood. The state highway was designated in the mid 1980s following the relocation of MD 235 for its expansion to a four-lane divided highway.
. MD 944 heads north as a two-lane road parallel to the northbound side of MD 235. The state highway intersects Clarks Landing Road and Joy Chapel Road, both of which are county highways that lead to waterfront subdivisions near the Patuxent River
. MD 944 intersects Old Three Notch Road, an older section of MD 235, before reaching its northern terminus at MD 235 in Hollywood.
and Naval Air Station Patuxent River
in 1943 and 1944. MD 235 was relocated to its present alignment in 1985 as part of the project to expand the final segment of MD 235 between Lexington Park
and MD 5
in Oraville to a four-lane divided highway. The bypassed highway was renamed as a northward extension of Mervell Dean Road—itself a section of old alignment of MD 235 bypassed when the original highway was reconstructed during World War II—and designated MD 944.
{|class=wikitable
!Location
!Mile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=2|California
|0.00
|Mervell Dean Road south
|Southern terminus
|-
|0.40
|Clarks Landing Road to
|Clarks Landing Road west is unsigned MD 944C; Clarks Landing Road east is former MD 574
|-
|rowspan=2|Hollywood
|2.00
|Old Three Notch Road north
|Old alignment of MD 235
|-
|2.26
|
|Northern terminus
auxiliary routes that are state-maintained portions of county highways displaced by the construction of MD 235's present alignment between California and Hollywood.
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 Mervell Dean Road, the state highway runs 2.26 miles (3.6 km) from the beginning of state maintenance near California
California, Maryland
California is a census-designated place and community in St. Mary's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 9,307 at the 2000 census. California continues to grow with the spread of population out from the older adjacent community of Lexington Park and the growth in both...
north to MD 235
Maryland Route 235
Maryland Route 235 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Three Notch Road, the state highway runs between its southern intersection with MD 5 in Ridge and its northern intersection with MD 5 near Mechanicsville...
in Hollywood
Hollywood, Maryland
Hollywood is an unincorporated community located within St. Mary's County, Maryland. It was named in 1867, when a storeowner at Thompson's General Store near the Uniontown section of Hollywood required a name for the post office inside the store...
. MD 944 is part of the old alignment of MD 235 between California and Hollywood. The state highway was designated in the mid 1980s following the relocation of MD 235 for its expansion to a four-lane divided highway.
Route description
MD 944 begins at an arbitrary point 0.2 mile (0.321868 km) south of Airport View Drive near California. Mervell Dean Road continues south as a county highway to an intersection with MD 235 (Three Notch Road) opposite Airport Road, which leads to St. Mary's County Regional AirportSt. Mary's County Regional Airport
St. Mary's County Regional Airport , also known as Captain Walter Francis Duke Regional Airport, is a public airport located in St. Mary's County, Maryland, four miles northeast of the central business district of Leonardtown. The airport is also located west of Naval Air Station Patuxent River....
. MD 944 heads north as a two-lane road parallel to the northbound side of MD 235. The state highway intersects Clarks Landing Road and Joy Chapel Road, both of which are county highways that lead to waterfront subdivisions near the Patuxent River
Patuxent River
The Patuxent River is a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay in the state of Maryland. There are three main river drainages for central Maryland: the Potomac River to the west passing through Washington D.C., the Patapsco River to the northeast passing through Baltimore, and the Patuxent River between...
. MD 944 intersects Old Three Notch Road, an older section of MD 235, before reaching its northern terminus at MD 235 in Hollywood.
History
MD 944 is the old alignment of MD 235 between California and Hollywood. The highway between its southern terminus and Old Three Notch Road in Hollywood was part of the original alignment of MD 235 upgraded as a gravel road between 1930 and 1933. The highway between Old Three Notch Road and modern MD 235 was originally constructed as part of MD 235's reconstruction as a military access highway to connect WashingtonWashington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and Naval Air Station Patuxent River
Naval Air Station Patuxent River
"Pax River" redirects here. For the river, see Patuxent River.Naval Air Station Patuxent River , also known as NAS Pax River, is a United States Naval Air Station located in St. Mary's County, Maryland on the Chesapeake Bay near the mouth of the Patuxent River. It is home to the U.S...
in 1943 and 1944. MD 235 was relocated to its present alignment in 1985 as part of the project to expand the final segment of MD 235 between Lexington Park
Lexington Park, Maryland
Lexington Park is a census-designated place in St. Mary's County, Maryland, United States, and the principal community of the Lexington Park, Maryland Micropolitan Statistical Area...
and MD 5
Maryland Route 5
Maryland Route 5 is a long state highway that runs north–south in the U.S. state of Maryland. The highway runs from Point Lookout in St. Mary's County north to the Washington, D.C. border in Suitland, Prince George's County....
in Oraville to a four-lane divided highway. The bypassed highway was renamed as a northward extension of Mervell Dean Road—itself a section of old alignment of MD 235 bypassed when the original highway was reconstructed during World War II—and designated MD 944.
Junction list
The entire route is in St. Mary's County.{|class=wikitable
!Location
!Mile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=2|California
California, Maryland
California is a census-designated place and community in St. Mary's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 9,307 at the 2000 census. California continues to grow with the spread of population out from the older adjacent community of Lexington Park and the growth in both...
|0.00
|Mervell Dean Road south
|Southern terminus
|-
|0.40
|Clarks Landing Road to
|Clarks Landing Road west is unsigned MD 944C; Clarks Landing Road east is former MD 574
|-
|rowspan=2|Hollywood
Hollywood, Maryland
Hollywood is an unincorporated community located within St. Mary's County, Maryland. It was named in 1867, when a storeowner at Thompson's General Store near the Uniontown section of Hollywood required a name for the post office inside the store...
|2.00
|Old Three Notch Road north
|Old alignment of MD 235
|-
|2.26
|
|Northern terminus
Auxiliary routes
MD 944 has six unsignedUnsigned highway
An unsigned highway is a highway that has been assigned a route number, but does not bear conventional road markings that would normally be used to identify the route with that number...
auxiliary routes that are state-maintained portions of county highways displaced by the construction of MD 235's present alignment between California and Hollywood.
- MD 944A is the designation for a 0.18 mile (0.2896812 km) section of St. John's Road and Beck Road in Hollywood. St. John's Road lies to the west of MD 235 and Beck Road lies to the east of the divided highway.
- MD 944B is the designation for a 0.02 mile (0.0321868 km) section of Sandy Bottom Road adjacent to its intersection with the southbound lanes of MD 235.
- MD 944C is the designation for the 0.04 mile (0.0643736 km) section of Clarks Landing Road between MD 235 and MD 944. Clarks Landing Road east of MD 944 is former MD 574.
- MD 944D is the designation for a 0.06 mile (0.0965604 km) section of Airport View Road from just west of MD 235 east to MD 944.
- MD 944E is the designation for a 0.02 mile (0.0321868 km) section of Miles Village Drive adjacent to its intersection with the southbound lanes of MD 235.
- MD 944F is the designation for a 0.02 mile (0.0321868 km) section of Airport Road adjacent to its intersection with MD 235 and the county-maintained portion of Mervell Dean Road on the opposite side of the intersection. Airport Road leads to St. Mary's County Regional Airport.